The apple of my eye
by Henry Uchiha
Summary: Prince Nico did not realise that when he had chosen Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess, over Athena and Hera, that he had inadvertently started the greatest war that Greece would ever see. Will he and his city be able to defend from the onslaught of united Greece as Annabeth of Sparta comes back to claim her property Percy. Warning:boyxboy Based on the story of Troy.
1. The decision

**_Hi everyone and thanks for taking the time to read this fanfic. I'm so excited to be posting this fanfiction and hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it! I will post a warning with each chapter as I do with all my other stories. Hope you have a nice day/night wherever you are! So I'm basing this on the story of Troy, though I'm making Nico- Paris and Percy a male version of Helen. Again, really hope you enjoy! Warning: story contains BoyxBoy (don't like, then don't read), swearing, scenes of extreme violence and ratings may be turned up at a later time._**

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You think life for a prince would be amazing wouldn't you? You'd think that you would have everything you have ever wanted served to you on a plate. But that's not the truth. At least as far as Nico would see it.

His whole life he had sat behind the giant glowing walls of his city, staring from the highest points of the walls to see the expanse of beautiful oceans and beaches which surrounded his home; mother troy. He was a fair prince, or at least, he hoped that he was in the eye of the people. He never went against his people for wealth. He was never prejudice in his approach to them... sure he wasn't the most social of all Prince's with them. He wasn't as good or as great as his famous sister: Bianca. No. Everyone looked towards her, thinking she was the mightiest. She was the strongest warrior, general and hunter that the city have ever been offered from their mother; Maria Di Angelo. Queen of Troy. She was a fair but just ruler. Always faithful and praying towards the gods. Yes. Even Lord Hades who she, ( even though it shocked her kingdom), had created a garden shrine for him among the kingdom's walls. A garden which she kept in the best conditions, herself. Allowing no gardener to touch it, but care for it's grown trees by her own accord.

Deep down, Nico thought that this must have had some accord with the lord of the dead, because in the cities walls, the elderly lived longer. People rarely got sick let alone claimed to death by sickness.

It was a good life. Caring people around him. A loving family. A loyal kingdom. His own private force in the military army.

But still as Nico would always know deep in his heart. No amount of the beautiful city around him. No amount of the wealth, knowledge, or experience fighting among the city in it's defence, would ever be able to fill the gap in his heart which came from the sorrow and pain of feeling alone and empty.

But now they were fighting and coming to the end of a long time war. Finally, being able to strike negotiations with the Queen of Sparta after so many long years of weary and exhausting battle. Finally after the previous king had died, the new Queen was finally ready to begin talks over peace arrangements. Finally soldiers would stop needlessly dying far from home. Children would stop becoming orphans and lovers would no longer bear the sorrows of

How would have known that his actions would create the bloodiest and longest war that would last in history for over two thousand years.

It all began one morning when he had been out hunting with Bianca and their youngest adopted sister.

He could hear his sister calling out to him teasingly as his large black steed pounded along the beach. It's hooves smashing into the ground as it neighed out, taking strong rugged breaths. Nico held softly onto the reins, making sure that he wasn't pushing the horse too hard... though there was no fear of that. Shadow Warning never really did what he never wanted to do. Nico knew how much his horse could be competitive about, when he was around the other two steeds.

Bianca was pounding ahead of them on the large silver coated steed horse. "Come on Zoe." She whispered excitedly as the horse reared back with her as Bianca rose her arm high the air like some beautiful goddess as her flowing robes trailed behind her in the air. Her dark brown silky hair rose in a curtain as those who would have been watching would have seen it move like soft tendrils through the air at her lift. Her silhouette blocked across the ground as the sun stood directly behind her. It was almost like she was under water. The jewellery her moth insisted that she wore as a sign of her royalty sparkled on her skin. A light spray of freckles were decorated across her olive, porcelain cheeks. "We can't let some boys win this!" She laughed and the silver horse snorted in agreement as it set the pace for the other two to follow.

Nico shook his head laughing at his older sister. "Naming a horse Zoe?" He questioned, but had to call above the roar of the wind. His black hood cloak was trailing onto his horse's hide and it's gold trimming edge sparkled in the sun rise light. He was desperate to beat his older sister to prove a point that girl's weren't the best as so she had always reminded him... but sometimes, he had to question just how much she really loved that horse! The way Bianca spent every spare moment with it, Nico couldn't help but think that maybe she was having some love affair with it!

"Oh Nico, stop teasing her!" Hazel called from not far behind them. Her golden eyes bore the same warmth as the golden necklace she wore ever so proudly.

Her own steed had far more than the capability to win the unofficial race that the siblings had started, but still she hung back. Her horse's coat was uncommonly dark. He had intelligent dark eyes and it seemed as though Hazel was the only thing right now that was stopping him from lunging past both her siblings and across the beach, back to the city.

"Stop teasing her? You're one to talk!" Nico laughed, smiling gently. His olive toned skin shined freshly in the morning light. His black tunic went down barely past his thighs as a circlet sat on his head proudly. His eyes were darker than the pit of night and had often been compared to the blackest shadows cast by the sun's setting. He was slightly muscled in his arms from training so much with his older sister and their army. It was uncommon among other lands that their cities general was Bianca. But not only was she the oldest but also the most graceful and efficient of fighters. But Nico was also an aspiring fighter. Fighting himself handy with not only a sword but bow. Though of course he would always prefer to use his favourite blade. It was the first and only sword he would ever use.

But as he turned back to look at his youngest sister, he laughed even louder. "I saw the way you was teasing Leo! He's a priest of Apollo Hazel! You know what that means!" Nico watched a red blaze move onto the girl's coco coloured cheeks as she blushed brightly. Hazel's skin was as rich as chocolate and her hair softer than hazelnut. But no one had eyes to match hers. No one in the kingdom had eyes which resembled gold to such a colour as hers did.

She just returned a smile as her horse set pace with Nico's easily. "Yeah, it just means that it's harder to get into his tunic." She laughed and rocketed off forward, setting pace and leadership with Bianca as both smiled, finding their competitive edge with each other taking dominant control.

"Oh. I'll show them." Nico whispered and lent forward to whisper to his horse. "Come on Shadow Warning. We'll show those two why you're the best horse in all of Troy." He grinned as the horse snorted loudly. "That's it boy!" The horse reared back and lunged forward into the nearby tree cover as Nico searched for an old off path route through the dense tree cover.

It felt as though he rode for at least a good ten minutes before Shadow Warning came into a slow trot and gave a sharp and angry snort as he waded between the bushes, panting slightly. "I get it boy. You're thirsty... but we're lost aren't we."

Shadow snorted and Nico rolled his eyes.

"I never said I was blaming you! Come on. I think there's a clearing up ahead. We'll get you some fresh water and then afterwards, we can head back towards the beach and get going towards the palace. I'm sure that Arion is looking forward for you to get back. Hazel can only keep him so distracted with a gallop along the beach for so long." He grinned and ignored the way his horse neighed at him.

But what he didn't realise was that he was inadvertently about to start a chain reaction of events which would lead towards the greatest war he or his kingdom would ever know.

**_-Break-_**

He hadn't expected to come across such a beautiful place inside the long grown forest. He had spent so many times travelling among here with Bianca that he thought he had known every part of his kingdom. From the city walls to the beaches, the over grown sand dunes which could have made the perfect barricades. Through the forests to the shrines of Persephone and Demeter where his mother insisted that he and her children all go every day to pray and give tribute to the goddesses.

But never in all his time of living had he ever come across a place or clearing like this.

He smiled as he turned around the clearing, looking at the large crashing waterfall which crashed down into a small and open oasis rock bordered pool. Shadow Warning happily lapped up a drink from the sparkling turquoise water which hosted an arrangement of lilies and various flowers which made the water taste sweet and all the more cooler. Crystals sprouted from the rocks both underneath the expanse of water and along the border, sending various shines of light around the clearing. This place looked completely blessed by the gods. No tree seemed to have been touched. No part of the ground held any signs of tracks except of the light foot steps and hoof marks of Nico and his horse. The opening was collared with deep emerald canvases. Rose bushes lining every area with flashes of white and red while pollen floated and danced among the breeze. It was almost impossible for such a beautiful area to exist like this.

For a while, even he discarded his tunic and cloak, taking a long bathe in the waters, finding his own personal piece of Elysium seemed to be filling him. This must be graced by the gods... but still it made him think about back to the city. About the feelings that he tried to hide. The sadness in his heart of being alone... it wasn't as though there had been no suitors for him over the years. On the contrary, there had been many! But now he was sixteen and well past the expectation time of finding a suitor to share his kingdom with! He was supposed to be married and as quick as possible. But still, there had been those who had come and gone. The head of his personal guard, Jason. He had been the first expectation but Nico had seen love blossoming between him and another soldier, Reyna. He wouldn't force Jason into any kind of marriage.

Then there had been Will Sollace. A devout priest of Apollo who was the same age as him. Both had been friends from the earliest of ages and for a time, Nico thought that there had also been a spark from in that he may have loved the other boy. But as both had got closer, Nico realised that all he had wanted was a friendship from Will and nothing else.

And now here he was. Sixteen, without a fiancée and his mother reminding him that he would have to marry, and marry soon.

"Aw, that's so adorable."

"Is that what you'd call it?"

"He's lonely is all."

Nico turned looking around the clearing, trying to find some distinguish between the three voices which had just flew around him. All whispering like soft mist, rolling in from the valleys. "What the Hades is going on." He whispered softly. Pulling himself out of the water and pulling on his tunic as quickly as possible, before he came eye to eye with a brown eyed boy.

His hair was weird... if Nico had to describe it, it was a soft mix of both light and brown. The boy's nose was slightly wonky and he had one of the most strong perfect builds he had rested his eyes on... though his hair was all blown back as though he had been hit from a gale force wind or jumped high from the edge of a cliff and dived down, but never made it to the ground. He spun a strange and short staff of gold in his hand. "N-No way." Nico whispered as he realised why the boy looked as though he had been drowned in oil of liquid sunlight. "Th-this is sacrilege." He whispered.  
"Not if it's the real thing." The boy lauged, adjusting the white wrapping of cloth which loosely revealed his mid section and kept his manhood hidden. A faint hissing came from the staff in his hands as the two serpents of gold bean to writhe and move around it. "I'm sorry boy, but I guess Nemesis isn't looking too kindly on you today. May her kinder sides be with you and your choice."  
"What choice!" But by the time Nico had already called out, the boy had risen into the air by his sandals which flapped with the intensity of a hummingbirds wings.

"He still doesn't know." A voice sternly stated. "Child, please do pay attention."

He turned quickly and came to sight with a girl sat against the tree. Her posture was perfect and her hair fell in a straight and impeccable standard down her back. Her dress was a curve of white silk which moved down her thin figure which looked as delicate as the dark mood in her cold eyes. She kept a hand resting on her side as her arms and coco tanned skin was adorned with bright bands of gold and rows of jewels. Emeralds, rubies, diamonds. She was the picture of wealth! Like one of the spoiled princesses Nico's mother had introduced him too, till she had figured out Nico had more of an interest for Princes.

"Interesting." She said, turning those stern eyes on him as she stood and let the trail of her dress stand up behind her like the tails of a peacock... for a second it almost seemed as though they were real giant feathers... but no peacocks feathers could ever be that big...right? "He still has no idea, yet his nature pushes him towards the solitude of himself." She noted. "Having seen it with his own eyes, he still refuses to fully believe it as of yet." Her motherly look turned harder as she tilted her head and read into the boy's face more. "Rather sad. But still boy, chose me."

"Oh, such a brave approach, that is the wise decision isn't it? Charm him by insulting him? That is the highlight of your intelligence Hera." A voice laughed behind them.

"As though you can really make him choose something better Athena!" The girl said back, as though she was talking to a small child.

The girl who must have been Athena, walked into the arena slowly and carefully. Unlike the other woman, she wore a marble grey silk gown while letting shoulder plates of armour stand sign to her strength. Her thick inky dark hair was a fall of curls which moved over one side of her face and across her shoulders. Her eyes were like two violent grey storm clouds which looked at Nico as though she was figuring out how to destroy him while what almost seemed like a hundred other different calculations! She was smart this one. There was no mistake. "Come, chose me, would you let yourself be insulted by her? Make the smart choice."

"You two, really do you not understand how to approach people. You do not see what is so plain upon his face."

The other two girls turned towards the edge of a clearing as the last voice which had spoken first began to come towards me. Her blond hair was a movement which highlighted her blood red lips and perfectly made up face. A matching red dress cut back from her warm toned legs and trailed out behind her and her pointed heels. She was really beautiful. One of the most beautiful women Nico had ever seen. Her eyes never seemed to set on one colour. Fresh roses and petals were in the beautiful curls which moved down to her waist. Her teeth were pearly and bright. "Hello Nico." She sad softly. "Chose me. Just like you try to whenever you try to sneak to my temple and pray more my guidance." She said softly, giving Nico a smile that would bewitch most boys into falling for her...  
"Barking up the wrong tree love." He frowned, crossing his arms over my chest.  
"I know. But I wasn't smiling at you for that reason." Her eyes flashed knowingly as she looked him over like some character in her favourite book come true.  
"Enough of this." The first woman stated. "Let us all explain to him, why he should chose us. Then let him decide."  
"That seems wise."  
"And fair."  
"What would be right would to be to explain to 'the boy' what the Tartarus is going on!" Nico explained as he targeted each of the three girls with a glare.

The last girl looked at him with a fondness and another bright smile. "History is merely taking a chance for itself to prove something about power. You will chose, which of us is the best and fairest." She reached out her hand and took something from the curtain of her hair.

A golden apple which shined brightly like liquid gold and sunlight.

Nico noticed how the other two girls looked at it longingly before fixing each other with a glare. "You will chose between the three of us, and decide who of your choice is the best and fairest." She said softly. Fixing Nico with an amused knowing look before holding out her hand in greeting as a courtesy. "Aphrodite." She nodded her own head slightly.  
"Athena." The grey eyed woman said, straightening her powerful pose, still looking him over with those calculating eyes.  
"Hera." The first woman stated, flourishing her peacock tail dress, letting her jewels catch Nico's eyes.

Hera was the first to come up to Nico while his jaw was still somewhat halfway off the ground as he stared between the three of them. _Hera... Aphrodite... Athena... no. Who the Hades is messing with me right now?_ He kept glancing around the clearing, trying to figure out what the underworld was really going on. Was this some trickery? Or were these really the goddesses of worship. Asking him of all people who be the fairest!?

But the first woman curled her finger under his chin, turning his head back to him demandingly. "Chose Hera." She said softly, putting a motherly arm around him. "I can give you power. Money is power." She whispered softly. Her words echoing around his head. Filling him from head to toe as she lazily lifted one arm to show the emerald studded sleeve which rested above her graceful skin. "Chose me and I will make you the wealthiest person alive, you will own lands. The most powerful of all kings commanding every piece of gold from across the realm of Poseidon and beyond! Imagine that! For the rest of your mortal life bathe in riches." She gave her startling smile. "Think about it boy."

As she took a step back, Athena slowly curled a arm around Nico's shoulder, giving Hera a foul glare and turning him so his back was too them, not allowing the young prince to be tainted by the faces that Hera pulled as Athena grinned. "Chose me. Chose Athena as the fairest and I will give you wisdom. Wisdom to fight of your family, I will give you true knowledge over your father." Athena's words hit his core. Nico's eyes widened drastically as the girl seemed to be offering him a secret he had only found in one of younger years of age. "Chose Athena, and I promise, I will show you how to be the wisest and mightiest of warriors to ever live. Stronger than your sister. Wiser than your mother and any of those in your kingdom. And I will answer those questions which have made you feel darkness inside your self for so many years." Her fingers trailed along his shoulder till both her hands gripped them sharply. "Be wise young one... but I know you will."

As she took a step back, Aphrodite took casual soft steps forward. Ignoring the barge of Athena who elbowed her, but still Aphrodite kept perfect balance, maintaining perfect elegance as she gently kissed the golden apple in her palm, smiling admiringly at her own reflection before taking the deciding idea and knelt down to Nico's height, looking into his eyes and tilting her head so the curtain of her brown hair swept the scent of flowers over him, helping clear his vision momentarily of any mist which may have otherwise clouded it. "My young champion." Her hand reached out and cupped my cheek. "My poor, poor champion who would seek my help in the saddest of nights and come pleading to me for answers." She whispered softly and suddenly both the eyes of the other two ladies' blazed... and when Nico said that they blazed?

He meant, blazed.

They glowed viciously and with rage. Up until that point in his life, he had somewhat gone along with the teachings that both Athena and Hera were two of the most clear headed goddesses on Olympus, as his mother told him. Though he had always doubted that when he had heard the tales of Hercules and Medusa. He now made a note to himself that he quickly had a growing dislike for those two._ "_I know what you long for most boy." She whispered softly. Keeping her hand motherly on my cheek and smiling that dazzling smile. "Chose Aphrodite and I will give you one thing you have always longed for. I will give you love."

Nico looked down into the golden apple and slowly saw the sad face of a boy coming into view. It was strange... but then again, not as strange as having three goddesses come to visit and make him chose who he thought was the fairest! But the boy I saw in the apple? By the gods (if there were someone really more, beautiful and fair than just these three Greeks out there), He didn't know what to say!

The boy had a soft flow locks of spiked ink black hair. His skin was sun kissed beauty and his body was... perfect! His eyes were a deep emerald, sea green colour jewel and were the most beautiful thing Nico had ever seen in his entire life. They changed ever so quickly, looking from those green jewels to being a softer blue than the ocean under the full brunt of a perfect day in the sun. However, the sadness that they wore was painful to look at. How could something so amazing and beautiful be that sad... those eyes. Those pained eyes, they were lonely and full of exhaustion.

Nico wanted to just reach out and take hold of him. To care for him. My heart ached blindly... "Even after all this time. Your wish is still clear." Aphrodite softly laughed as she watched Nico's hypnotised gaze.  
"Who is he." Nico reached out his hand slowly grazing his finger over the soft gold shell of the apple.  
"His name is Percy of Sparta." Aphrodite explained.  
"He's beautiful." Nico whispered.  
"Chose me and I will bring him to you. You will love him as he will love you. You will have the strongest love to last for thousands of years and history will remember you both."

However she did not speak of the consequences which would follow her as she would enjoy her new pairing of mortals.

"I chose Aphrodite." Nico said and the other two glared foully at him as though he had paid them the worst insult.

"Weakling." Hera murmured.

"Most unwise!" Spat Athena.

"After all this time, still you haven't changed my champion." She whispered and placed a kiss on Nico's forehead. "I will watch over you. But you must journey to back to your sister and mother. Make sure that it is remember you chose Aphrodite above Athena and Hera." She smiled shooting a glance over her shoulder to the other two girls, tracing her fingers through Nico's hair. "I will watch over you." She promised. "I will now, just as I did then." She wove some flowers into Nico's hair before taking a few steps back. "Take your journey my champion. Do not be disheartened by what is to come. Stay strong and love will always prevail."

While she held the golden apple she admired her own reflection in it. "Now be ready my champion." She smiled, giving Nico the apple which still held the moving vision of Percy. But the goddess couldn't stop grinning to the other two who gave hisses under their breath at her, before twirling on the spot and disappearing in a haze of mist as she walked away.

Nico stared blankly at the surroundings as I tried to let what had just happened in the last five minutes sink in.

"What...The...Tartarus. Just happened." He whispered.  
"NICO!"

He turned slowly and saw his sister coming into view.

Bianca stared down at him with knowing eyes and a smirk. "Tried to take a short cut huh... what a strange apple." She stared at the one in Nico's hand for a moment before he concealed it inside his tunic from her eyes which moved back to him.  
"I might have." He said casually as he pulled the cloak back around himself and let it catch the breeze and cool him down.  
"Enough play time. We actually have a mission now." Bianca smiled. Her eyes held unrestrained joy and excitement. "Sparta has sent us news! We are to go and sign a negotiation with them."  
"S-Sparta?!" Nico stuttered remembering the vision of that hypnotic beauty. _Percy of Sparta. This could be my chance. This could be my opportunity to go and find him!  
_"Yeah. Sparta. You know, the one we've been at war with for so long." Bianca rose an eyebrow. "Mother has decided to send an convoy to sign the treaty. She want's us to go-"  
"Well let's go then!"  
"O...okay?" Bianca frowned, not understanding her brothers excitement. She had never seen her brother so excited since they had been little kids. "We leave immediately. Head straight for the docks and we will head out to sea."  
"Well what are you waiting for! Let's go!" Nico mounted Shadow Warning and sped off quickly towards the beach.  
"What has gotten into that boy?" Bianca shook her head and laughed as Zoe snorted her nostrils.


	2. Admission of a prisoner

_**Hi! I just want to say such a massive thank you to all of you who favourited and followed this story! ^_^ But I really want to thank my two epic reviewers! Thanks for reviewing guys ^_^ Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Just one question... should I turn the ratings up and write a love scene between Percy and Nico in a couple of chapters (without going too much into detail of the story) Or should I just save that till later? Warning: story contains BoyxBoy (don't like, then don't read), swearing, scenes of extreme violence and ratings may be turned up at a later time.**_

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Percy was pretty sure that he had never done anything, that truly bad! He had always prayed to the gods when he had been nothing but a small child. He had always sacrificed the largest part of his scrawny meal that him and his mother had hunted from the sea, and into the flickering fire which kept them warm in their hollowed out cove, during the coldest nights of the year. "Thank you for the life you have given me." Sally would whisper. Her eyes sparkling softly as she would curl up against the wall of the cave, holding onto Percy and caring for him as he slept. "Thank you for my beautiful son you graced me with."

She would never stop thanking the gods for that.

Although, Percy had spent many nights asking his mother why they still praised the gods, especially after all the hardship they had put her through. They had made her carry a bastard child before giving birth to it. They had made her lose her family to plague, and their homes to the storm. They had once owned a small and humble villa by the sea. Nothing special, but it was home. A farm which used to have been Sally's father's had been struck down and ignited into a blaze by lightning... when that had happened, they had been forced to move. But of course, the storm had followed them.

Only when the last remains of their villa had been destroyed, did it stop and leave them alone.

But it didn't matter. They had been left homeless, with no provisions and nothing else to go by.

Percy had only been five at the time, but he had cursed the gods in the back of his head. Always making sure never to voice his anger, but to carry on as always and worship. To make sure he prayed to strong throned Olympians. To give thanks for the care they provided.

But still, they cursed him.

One night a drunken soldier had come stumbling upon their cave... the bastard had stabbed Percy's Mom and raped her in front of him. Taunting the boy the entire time that he wasn't strong enough to stop him, then he had set about to brand Percy by taking his dagger and slicing a great length of a wound down the boy's arm.

But what Percy hadn't expected was that, when the man had done that. It hadn't left a single mark on Percy, but the man himself had been branded, then found out from the local soldiers and executed on the spot. They reported the man's name had been Gabe, and that Percy had nothing else to fear now that they were there. They would take him back to their Queen and make sure he would be cared for.

Of course they had been hypnotised and completely taken over by Percy's incomparable beauty. They would have stabbed themselves on their own swords had he wished it for they had fallen for him so much. A lot of the time, people had questioned whether he was a Siren? Some exclaimed he was a god, bound into the form of a boy. But he had just found that ridiculous.

The Queen though... not so much.

Percy knew the Queen of Sparta was a good woman... honestly! An Athenian by heritage, though by the way she had been brought up in the country, you would have thought that she had more Spartan blood flowing through her veins than any other woman. She was a natural warrior, that was completely and undoubtedly obvious. She was one of the most dangerous that the kingdom had to offer, that's why there was such an clear air of loyalty to her, when she had taken the throne. But unlike any other soldier in Sparta, she led with something a lot of the others didn't. She calculated her fights. She could execute them just as well. But never did she rely on brute force. She found that too easy of a thing to do. She liked to evaluate her enemy. Toy with them. Figure out everything about them, before she crushed them into nothing.

But Percy still found himself questioning the fact, when she had forced him to Marry her. Many of her advisers had agreed that her image needed not only to remain of strength but that she was just like everyone else in her kingdom. She fought. She bled. She screwed when she was in love... (Though Percy had always been able to avoid doing that with her so far. Managing to gain his own bedding chambers in the palace to keep a distance from her.) The Queen wanted him... but as so did everyone else! Everyone just wanted him because everyone thought that he was the most beautiful soul in the entirety of Greece.

So Queen Annabeth, Legacy of Athens, surrogate sister of King Queen Piper, (Who Percy noted, looked at her most more certainly than with just eyes of a caring sister) current dominator of the rallying and conquering countries of Greece. Piper certainly wasn't one now to give up power. Not after she had spent so long, going through Greece, being inspired by the tales of Luke, her old friend who had gone away travelling. He had come back to become one of her advisor, and with his help and guidance of her army, had now spread wide fear through the entirety of Greece as she now possessed nearly the completed whole of it!

Queen Annabeth had demanded that Percy become her future Husband. He would fall in love with her, respect the power and city she had helped create, stone by stone and that he would come to her, and not before he begged on hands and knees for her to take him, would she allow the boy to come and take her, though she had the self implored idea, he would.

One night when she had grown exhausted with an attempt to woo him with wine and jewellery, she had sent him back to his chambers, demanding that he not come out until he either came back to beg her to take him, or that he come back in the morning to fill out his duties as future, partner to the leader. So Percy guessed that meant he had a long quiet night ahead of him.

So why not kick in early, so he could sneak out in the morning and head down to the ocean side springs to bathe away from prying eyes.

But that brought him to the problem which had all begun the second he had set eyes on that Prince the next day in his court... no he should begin from the beginning. But, where had it all started?

Percy would never be able to decide how it all happened... but he was pretty sure that it all started the night that he had that crazy dream.

The night before his entire world changed.

He had never found himself one for dreams really. They always seemed to be something which passed him by in the night as Morpheus would pass his kingdom with a blanket of sleep. But Percy generally liked it that way, because whenever he had dreams. He always saw the most horrific and bloodiest things that he knew belonged in the pits of Tartarus and the underworld.

But that night... it was completely different.

_**-Inside his dream-**_

He blinked a couple of times as the grey scale of everything came to settle in front of him. It was as though he was zooming madly over a wild forest, weaving and diving in and out of trees. Everything forming out of thick and drawing mist. The world of sense and reality was fast leaving him behind in the kingdom where he was unofficially chained.

The world seemed to move by so slowly now. Everything was new and felt different. The tree's bore a new light and life of emerald which seemed to present itself to him as it flashed between a burst of life and a deepening grey. The world was bright and so dark, the flower blossomed and rose out the ground in a spectrum of new colours before frosting over with a storm of grey. The sky tore itself open to let sunshine pour down in spiked kisses before it burned with the down pour of rain and cold frost. What the hell is this place. Percy looked for any indication of life or settlement as the world blurred by around him.

He had a feeling he certainly wasn't in Sparta any more.

It only stopped when he came to the edge of a clearing and stared in front of him as the only bit of the world which kept colour; a crystal clear lake.

He slowly looked around, taking note of the fact of whether there was any other people around. Calling out loudly and checking so before shrugging and walking forward till he was stood at the very edge of the water.

He frowned at the intense aching which still persisted through him. "Frank?" He called out, looking around for any sign of anyone else. Though he knew there would be no point in calling out to the boy. This was his dream. Why would his best friend be in his dream?

No light made it's way into the everlasting and expanding darkness. The only light seemed to come from the water nearby as the world settled into a contrast of burning grey. No sun set and no moon rose. Only a dark shape moving in the devoid darkness which almost felt like hungry eyes watching him. His jaw was set tight and so were his shoulder in a tense manner. His eyes watched the glinting surface of the water for any ripples. All he could do was stare at the intense turquoise brilliance of light which drew him closer like a moth to a flame.

The water... it was just... so beautiful!

As he came even closer to the water's edge he began to slowly crouch. He could feel his entire body becoming tense as it wanted to lock in place... but something was controlling him. He knew he just couldn't refuse this alluring presence. It seemed to captivate him whole.

But when his hand curled around the edge of the water he felt the bitter sting of sharp rocks digging through his olive skin, drawing blood.

he knew that already that this beautiful rose which was light.

It had sharp thorns.

He winced but couldn't move his hands as the blood began to spread through the light of the water... but he wished at that moment, him bleeding was not the strangest thing that was going on, because as he stared at his reflection... it was almost as though he was staring at a complete other person.

He gazed over the face which was soft and olive toned. Deep, dark, black eyes stared back up at him... as though they had been bathed deeply in the shade of shadows for most of his lie. Everything about the reflection was beautiful! The glistening shadow thread hair. The lean smooth body which looked perfectly chiselled. Not over bulky and oil toned like most of the soldiers around Sparta... but still the boy in the water was beautiful. He kept a black hood of his cloak up as his horse rode strongly through the waves on a beach.

Percy couldn't help but sigh appreciatively.

Everything he had ever idealised about in someone. A kind and caring smile. A lean yet strong build. Eyes which looked as though they understood the emotions of loneliness and the heart, and didn't just shove them to the side. No deep bruising lining the skin. Everything which showed just how strong, this boy, who ever the Hades he was, actually appeared.

How ever the reflection looked up at him with a deep sense of waiting and expectation as though it was waiting for his acknowledgement. "Pe-Perfect?" He whispered with caution. He knew he had probably one chance at getting this right, he couldn't mess this up. As his blood spread through the water the reflection nodded as though this was the answer he had been waiting for. He reached out to touch the rippling surface and just before he could touch the cool, beautiful water.

The reflection's face turned up in a dark grin. "Will you do it though." It smirked, speaking with a voice, so very much different that Percy knew immediately that it must not belong to the handsome boy.

"What?" He stared with wide eyes but as he tried to pull his bleeding hand back, the water itself surged up and wrapped around his arm as it took the shape of a pale hand. Percy wanted to let out a scream as the water itself seemed to sink into his bones as it burnt viciously. How could water burn?! Especially him of all people! Water had never harmed him in any way! He had never feared or been hurt by it! "STOP IT!" He tried pulling back quickly but the water had him in a vice lock. He couldn't move! He was desperate to try and pull back. But the darkness around him was becoming solid as it became towering walls. "There's no escape. You will be the face to launch a thousand ships." The scolding water reached up and ran through his hair teasingly, as the voice laughed. "I'm not discouraging you for it! I recognise the power of it! You may as well sit back and enjoy the show."

He stopped at that and the figure grinned deeper as it got a greater chance and pulled him into the water.

_**-The next day-**_

Percy came to a grating halt as he stared up at the soldiers moving about the village. All laughing to each other and exclaiming of their strength... these were the wolves. They would smash each other's faces in... just for training. He had seen what they did out to the men in the field of battle. He himself had heard those horror stories and witnessed them, first hand.

But right now, there was something going on. Something that even had surprised him with great shock when he had heard about it... To be honest. He still doubted just the truth of whether what he had heard was that... or whether it was the Queen, testing his loyalties to the country. If that had been the case, then he had better show his commitment to those around. He didn't approve of the soldiers, or their methods. But still, he was there to help those who needed it. To care for the young ones who were sometimes left to starve after being nearly beaten to death.

For now... as bitter as the idea was to take, till he could figure out a way to escape this personal cell, (of what he thought) felt like Tartarus. He would have to make sure that if this was a trick. Annabeth had nothing to use against him.

Right now his job was to protect it with his entire life and being. His job was to make sure everyone was at peace and content with their lives. Whether that meant him working out in the fields with farmers, in the shops with the tailors as he was happy to learn how to help dye and make clothings for those who didn't have them. Or even when he had to play delivery boy and take medicine to those who were sick and confined to bed from fever. He was certainly no doctor, and further more, no good at being a comforter to those who were suffering. But even against all his spouse's wishes, he carried this on.

It was his home now.

He would do all he could to help keep it going.

But what of the 'armoured beasts' (The nickname, Queen Piper and Annabeth had settled on for the Trojans.) which kept coming towards them... how long could they keep the furthest barriers and front lines up? Athens and Sparta had already began to fall to the unbeatable threat. More news was coming every day and for each piece which unmistakably arrived soaked in crimson blood, a vision began to fill him. Which made him question the possibility of Annabeth's news all the more. There was no way that her news could bare any truth, especially after the fact that there was such a blood soaked history and tension laying between the consequences of what was to come.

"Sir! SIR!"

Percy turned slowly and in time to see a small boy running to meet him. Even with the hood of his cloak up and the warm soft of the material covering half his face, the boy still recognised him, after Percy had sneaked away to bathed secretly in the fresh springs by himself... It made him question the fact of whether Annabeth knew just how much he really did tend to sneak out of the palace.

He half crouched as the small boy came to a stop. His light brown hair almost seemed rusty in the sunlight. His eyes were a faint amber and he panted harshly for breath. His small form was barely covered by a tunic which was too small for him. His feet rough and bloody from having to run along the sharp path in nothing. "Hey, easy there." Percy whispered softly and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Those eyes... they were full of fear.

They had pain etched through them as well as the wild burning dread. A look that he recognised he had burdened as a young child before he had grown up in the palace with Annabeth while they had been young.

"Sir I have a message for you! From the Queen!"

"That's all good and well, but how will I be able to hear the message if you pass out from the heat!" He offered a small smile to try and ease the boy... but that face was set hard with dread and fear. He was breathing hard, his cheeks flared with crimson and exhaustion. "You will come with me." Percy stood and took the boy's hand as he took him to the well where the cool and fresh water for the village rushed in from the far mountain spring.

It was a modest and small square but that didn't matter. With the villas and small home areas being stood into the coast hills and the well being on a cobblestone circle in the centre of the area, Percy had found that this was all it had ever truly needed to be. The well was a small stand with a hut stood over it to keep the sunlight from warming and evaporating the water. "But sir! The Queen will have my skin if I delay her from getting what she wants-"

"The Queen will understand that her messenger is not only exhausted but needed a drink. If she thinks that she will lay a hand on you, she will soon find out how wrong she is." Percy stated impassively as he began to crank the handle and draw the bucket from the well. Although manual labour was something greatly encouraged among Sparta as something to keep the muscles working and growing strong, Percy had often been discouraged with it, and treated like he was some push over. Learning how to loom (greatly and unsuccessfully, as Annabeth had learnt in a fury when Percy had made a loom of Athena and Medusa and had accident loomed the two women in reversed roles... Annabeth had that loom burnt before any other eyes had set onto it.), and other such gestures that would expect him to act like, a slave!

He decided sometimes that he'd rather be homeless all over again, than have to go back to that Palace. Annabeth was kind, and she could be very sweet, like an older sister to him, as she had done very much so when the two had been growing up together, (before Annabeth had been made Queen). But now... Now she was different. Her hubris had claimed her now she had the power of a leader. The world which was Sparta was hers to control and own.

He shook his head and cranked faster offering the boy another dazzling smile, which he knew always worked on Annabeth, whenever the blond was pissed at him for messing up or not really caring too much to listen to the Spartan soldiers, exclaim about 'the glories' of impaling Trojans and killing them on the battle field.

At least that seemed to ease the young boy slightly as he relaxed and took a calming sigh. "But sir, the Queen insisted-"

"Well I'm insisting that you have a cold drink then go to the tailor and get some right fitting clothes." Percy finally managed to pull out the bucket and gently ran his fingers over the liquid to feel the pleasant cool sensation of the cold.

He smiled as the coolness of the liquid almost seemed to refill him. It was as though just the presence of water sometimes could make all of his worries fade slightly and become distant.

The boy just stared at him incredulously and out of sheer surprise. Was it really that strange that people thought he was a uncaring and hateful slave? His years spent as a slave and by himself with his mother, had only just encouraged his care for others all the more, (though he still stuck by the fact he was bad at comforting others), sometimes.

He slowly handed over the bucket and watched the boy skinny, malnourished boy take great gulps of the cold liquid to try and slate his burning thirst. "Don't rush it, you'll get yourself sick, he teased and watched the boy offer half a smile. "We will have to find some food as well for you later." Percy assured him, but something was beginning to press on his mind. "Where are your parents? Why are they allowing you to go around in clothes like these." He indicated to the rags that were clamped around the boy.

"They-" The boy paused before turning his gaze to the ground. "They fought on the front lines." He admitted so quietly that it almost passed Incubo's hearing.

_Fought... Past tense._ He noted in his head and took in the sight of tears moving at the edge of the boy's eyes. "I see." He noted and nodded slightly. "They were heroes." Percy whispered softly.  
"They ran from the bronze monsters!" The boy exclaimed.

Percy winced at that.

_Anyone with any sense would._ He thought absently in his head though he wouldn't say it out loud. "Your parents went to defend you." Percy pushed for a smile. "They went to fight a battle because they knew that all the way back here, they had the one thing they wanted to protect. One thing that mattered above everything else to them in this whole war. Can you guess what that thing was?"

"The Queen?" The boy wondered and Percy found himself shocked at that response.

"One more guess." He said softly and the boy frowned, obviously confused that his first answer wasn't right.

"The glory of Sparta?"

"It was you." Percy sad quietly and held out his hand to the shocked boy before placing a small bag of golden coins into his palm. "Now what was that message?"

The twelve year old just stared completely shocked and unbelieving. Percy just waited patiently as the boy soaked in the effect of his words. "The convoy have arrived. Negotiations have begun and the treaty will be signed by the end of today. Tomorrow by sunset, it will be over."

Percy hunched forward and laced his fingers as he took a sip of the water himself, before going back to a thoughtful look. "Is it true?" The boy whispered. "Is there really to be peace between Troy and Sparta? Was that really a convoy from Troy to make a treaty with us?"  
"It appears so." Percy nodded with a slight sigh. Already thinking of the way Annabeth would be laying into the negotiators from Troy into getting the lower hold of the stick between the two countries and making it more definitely so that Sparta will benefit more.  
"I can't believe the Queen actually wants to sign a treaty...What... how could her of all people really want to sign a treaty!" The boy clapped his hands over his mouth realising what he had just said. But Percy was too lost in his thoughts to really care.  
"How in deed." He nodded.

_**-A week previously-**_

The sound of Percy's footsteps filled the temple as he watched the three figures moving around a large map on a marble table. Annabeth was marching around angrily as she looked at the various pieces spread over the different towns and villages between boarders. "We can't allow them to get closer!" She exclaimed angrily. Her curtain of blond hair fell down her back in curling strands. Normally she kept it back neat in a bony tail, to keep the sight of her horrific, storm grey eyes available to intimidate everyone. But recent exhaustion had rendered her, past caring about her image. She was dressed in his sharp armour with his sword placed on the table... well, through the table would rather be more accurate.

The sword was pierced on one of the nearby mountains where a long line of crimson was drawn through the map. "Every day we lose more forces and they are just increasing in numbers!"

"The philosophers and library boys-" Annabeth shot an angry look up at the mention of her old people being insulted. "Have started to succumb to deceptive tactics, we think we have found out their weakness, besides, they would never amount an true attack on us. Queen Piper has assured us many forced if we be in need of them. No one would dare mess with someone so close to her... but the bronze beasts stand strong and are growing more powerful by the seconds. Not even combined forces of Athena and Ares would be able to stop them-"

"WATCH YOUR TONGUE!" Annabeth roared and Percy sighed softly.

He knew her one of her darkest secrets.

One which would not go down so well in a city, who's patron was Ares... it wouldn't go well by any mile that she held Athena in a much higher apparel. _Very much like her Athenian lineage. _Percy thought to himself. He noted how her face was growing red with rage and impatience. "What do you advise then!"  
"Better information than what your oracle can give us-"  
"He doubts the sight."

All turned as the cloaked figure of a girl walked slowly into the most private war quarters of Annabeths castle. The girl, had all dirt and grime removed from her face, (though when Percy had first met her, she had been stained gold, standing as a piece of art for some Athenian philosopher on his travels with Annabeth. The girl had been taken under Annabeth's wing... after the Queen had saw something very much special in the girl.

Her feet had been washed and wrapped in silk to make them more comfortable now she was wearing sandals which wound up around her bony thigh. A better fitting tunic was over the her torso as he seemed more comfortable and at ease. "And yet, with blood covering stone and glass stopping marble, you doubt the power of Apollo?" The girl smirked and walked forward casually. The closer she got, the more that everyone could see of her intense, fiery crimson locks of hair and the faint spilling of emerald which was moving through her angry eyes.

The Adviser how ever had turned pale under both glares of his Queen and the royal spouse after he had murmured a quiet insult about the girl. "I save you from being nothing more than a slave." Annabeth began calmly. "I took you out of what was your own Tartarus. And you cannot help with, the one thing that I have asked of you?" She growled as she rose to be eye level with her.

Those infamous grey eyes which could have brought a whole army to a screaming halt and turn around with fear.

It was only after the girl came to a stop in front of everyone did Percy turn around and notice that the lit torches in the room and all their fire, began to flicker like a strong gust of wind had suddenly breached through the air tight walls. "There is a time and fate for everything. I only move to the possibilities that I may help you." The red head stated as she looked at Annabeth with calm hidden eyes and a strong eloquent voice.  
"Now. Why don't we go through everything instead of some vague message which barely gives me any time to decipher what the hell is going on!"

"The bronze beasts have broken through the front. Took out the entire line of soldiers with them. We lost two legions of warriors. Athens is at our doorstep and Sparta is growing increasingly tired of war fare. We have absolutely no time to waste." Annabeth looked as though she was ready to be sick though his steely appearance was beginning to become prominent as she refused any weakness to show.

"We need the sight of the Oracle." The adviser sneered with a deep smirk. "If the visions are to be any good."

"Fine." The girl began to turn and walk away to the privacy of her own chamber where she performed the ritual where she would gather and collect most of her visions. Normally she never even allowed even Annabeth to come and witness them... though it was safe enough to say.

They took their toll on her.

"Why return to hide in your chamber?" The adviser murmured. He tilted his head slightly.

"Your intellect is as absent as the hair from your head!" Annabeth barked as she watched the girl slowly turn back to the table with a defiant and rising eyebrow.

Percy slowly reached out his hand out to stop Annabeth from lunging and tackling the man to the ground.

"Fine. You wish to witness the vision happening? Then so be it... do you have the knife?" The girl stated and began to look to Annabeth.

The blond nodded quietly, her eyes sparkling with the possibility of gathering new knowledge, first hand from something that not many other Spartans had been privileged to know about or even witness within their lifetime.

Percy however was growing more increasingly nervous as she and knelt Annabeth helped the girl down onto the ground. Gently pulling back the hood and easing it onto the girl's back, "Are you sure about this." She whispered uncertainly before pulling the sharp dagger out of her own belt. Not realising that she had been the one to so insistently want the knowledge and guidance of what to do.

"Let's just get this over with please." The girl glared defiantly at the adviser before grasping the knife and slicing it into her hand sharply.

The moment the skin began to tear apart, she gasped and let the blood begin to sprinkle across the cold stones beneath her. "L-Lord Apollo. I seek your help." She whispered.

The torches in the room began to more noticably flicker and Percy took a fearful step back. Unsure at what ever this was which was going on in front of him.

Something thick and dark was beginning to rise around the girl... something like that of an emerald deep mist. That which unrolled from every free expanse of her face. Her eyes. Ears. Mouth. Rising around her as though she was bringing a storm into existence around them. But even the colour of the flames in their torches turned green. "Please." She whispered, her voice sounding increasingly shaky, till it sounded as though a chorus of her was speaking instead of just one.

The advisor let the room, screaming and not looking back as the mist writhed around the room, with ever passing second, coming to resemble a serpent more and more.

It was only when the room had filled completely with the emerald mist and she threw her arms out wide, did she finally settle. "_I see." _She whispered. _"Oh. I see it all. I see so much. So much that has been. That which is... that which will be."  
_"What do I do to preserve Sparta. What should I do to preserve my city!"  
_"Be warned daughter of Wisdom. You will stand alone. You face a decision of magnitude. Queen of Sparta. You already know what you should do." _

The mist rose over Percy and for a minute seemed to almost stare down at him. Letting out a hissing like laughter. _"Extend the olive branch and history will always remember what happens there after. It will be talked about for thousands of years. Be prepared girl. You will need all the help you can get." _

In a flash of lightning and a blare of light. The mist retracted back, filling the red head who collapsed forward on the floor, to be dragged back to her chambers by the guards. Leaving Annabeth and Percy in the room alone as the Blond slammed her hands onto the table and stared hatefully at the war drawn map. "What did she mean? You know what to do?"

Annabeth was quiet for a few moments. "Peace is the only way to continue." Pride was filling her eyes as Percy could see the way that she seemed to have settle on the girl's words. "The war between the Trojans and Spartans has claimed many lives. Many families have been destroyed." Annabeth ran her fingers across her own dagger which she picked up from the floor. "I need to leave. I will return in a while."  
"Where are you going now?" Percy frowned slightly.  
"I'm sending a messenger to Troy... It's time for war to end and negotiations begin. Let us end this war and all that comes of it."

With that she had turned and left the room.

_**-Back to present-**_

Percy didn't know where that left him now. Why did the Queen need his presence... to show him off to the Trojans?

But if that was his use, to play his role for peace, then he would play it gladly.

What he hadn't planned, was that his role in the events to come would mean that he would start the greatest war to be seen four thousands of years.


	3. A kiss to start a war

_**Hi! I just want to say such a massive thank you to all of you who favourited and followed this story! ^_^ Thank you again to **_**_Quinn Lexington and XXTheBookWormXX for your kind reviews! It really means a lot!_**_** ^_^ Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are =) Warning: story contains BoyxBoy (don't like, then don't read), swearing, scenes of extreme violence and ratings may be turned up at a later time.**_

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Nico turned and looked around the bay as the ship came to it's anchored stop. The sails having been pulled back and those who were rowing the great Greek trireme were now unloading various boxes and heading beneath the deck to bring out various boxes of gift offerings which would be given over to the merciless Queen Annabeth as signs of peace between the two countries.

Bianca had of course carried on ahead without him as now Nico was searching every spare face around the great barrier which was Sparta's cliffs. He looked from each guard who was sat on a great white wall of rocks which were probably just about half the height of the walls of Troy. Nico noted that ever so humbly with a little sharp smug pride burst. Troy's walls were impenetrable. It's why in all the hundreds of years of it's building, no army had ever broken past them. Troy was an unbreakable guard. It would never be struck down.

Not even by the hard and defiant Spartans.

But now as he ran his gaze over the small white villas in the distance and the great large walls around him. He searched every guard for the face of the boy who he had seen in the golden apple, (which he had brought with him to look at in the night, to see the slumbering and exhausted face of that beautiful boy). There had been some moments in the long voyage when he had really just doubted the boy's existence. After all, how could someone really be that beautiful? Had it all been some fleeting attempt at trickery?

But whenever Nico thought this, he would just look back into the golden apple.

Which explained now why he was looking between each and every available face on the white walls. He was met back with the raised eyebrow and scoffing look of each Spartan warrior. Each one of them was dressed in either a leather and worn down brown loincloths and flowing crimson cloaks with the emblem of their city. Or those who wore rich white silk cloaks and were watching him and those on his ship with amused glances. "Al'right men." He called out and the loyal Trojans around him rose their gazes. "Let us go and grace the Queen with our gifts. I'm sure by now my sister will be growing tired with stubborn talk." The men around him laughed out and smiled before lifting the various boxes and chests, heading towards the distant palace.

"Come on! We're going to be late! The Queen will kill me if we take any longer!" A small boy bumped into him and sprinted past. "Excuse me sir!" He called back over his shoulder.  
"Slow it down a bit kid." Nico laughed adjusting his dark azure robe which was open to reveal his toned chest and pale olive skin. The sun was beating down heavily on them, no one noticed or cared. But then again, the Spartans were all about showing the strength and build of their bodies. To them, it wouldn't have meant nothing. But Nico was still slightly self-conscious as he had retied them at least five times and decided not to wear the golden necklace symbol of his country, but to sport none. "It's too hot to be rushing about the place like that!"  
"Tyson, you need to be more careful!" A voice called after him as a white cloaked figure went sprinting with him up towards the palace. The boy's face was hidden behind the white velvet hood but Nico caught a slight glance of sun kissed skin and thin legs as the two went full speed up the dusty stone laid street. "Excuse us, sorry! We're just on important business is all!"  
"No problem!" Nico called back after that voice... that voice of the hooded boy was beautiful. He had spent many times next to the lullaby and melody of the ocean on the beach. So many times, had he just sat there and listened to the amazing way the ocean moved and sang out... that boy's voice was just the exact copy of it.

To put it bluntly... there would not be a siren out there among the world of Greece who would have a voice as beautiful as that.

"Prince Nico!" One of the men called as he set up an escort guard. "It's time we go and meet your sister."  
"Okay, Jason." Nico smiled as he watched the head blond of his guard.

Jason was the most obvious at unease right now. His whole body language was tensed greatly as he was the one out of everyone making sure to keep a hand ready and waiting on his sword. His sky clear eyes were looking around cautiously, nervous of the fact that so many Spartan guards had taken up position around them. "At ease Jason." Nico said quietly, putting a hand out gently out on his shoulder. "We're here as guest remember."  
"I'm only following the orders of the real Queen. Queen Maria stated that she wanted a close eye to be kept on you." Jason's whole body seemed to move defensively and take any protective stance as the guard formed a crescent moon around Nico. The man's strong body posed as one of the greatest shields there could be in Greece. Jason was one of he most loyal soldiers that had ever existed in the entirety of Troy. He was strong. Fierce. Loyal and one of the best guard leaders. That's why, even though to his young age, he had escalated so quickly to Bianca's second general when it came to battle. "Well then. I guess we better not keep my sister waiting."  
"Yes sir." Jason nodded.

He gave a single curt nod and the rest of Nico's guards fell in line.

"Time to go and strike peace." Nico smiled and began the long winding walk up past the various villas and training grounds.

_**-Break-**_

Annabeth was lent back in her throne, enjoying a goblet of wine as the girl in front of her gave a brilliantly dazzling smile. The Princess of Troy certainly wasn't what she had expected. The girl sat in front of her wore a black and sapphire blue trimmed dress with a low lining to show her amazing figure and large chest. The girl's skin was certainly not like that of the devastating monster soldier which the Queen had admired from afar when getting reports from the battle field. Her silky black hair was tied back though it curled out defiantly at the sides as two strips fell evenly down the side of her face. Her eyes regarded Annabeth as a smile played along her lips. "Oh Queen of Sparta. You certainly live up to your reputation."  
"Oh? So the soldiers of Troy delight in talking about me and my Spartans?"  
"We delight in the admiration of strength." Bianca corrected her. Making sure to turn her soft eyes on her all the more. "We respect battle and war. But do not celebrate it. We find meaning behind it and hope that we can over come it, as it seems we both in our wisdom have decided to do now."

Annabeth smiled to herself as a amused smile played on her lips. She laced her fingers boring her eyes into the princess as she held back a laugh. "Well said Princess. I'm glad that we have come to some arangment which we both could-"  
"I'm here!"

Nico ran into the room and looked around, blushing with embarrassment as he realised just how truly late he was to the meeting as now his sister and the Queen were sat at a table together, Bianca holding a dagger in her hand as she was about to sign in blood, next to the Queens signature on the parchment. "Nico." Bianca stated, glaring slightly at him, annoyed that he had left her to do all the negotiating work for their two cities. But deep down she didn't mind. Part of her was relieved. Nico could be an easily provoked hot head sometimes and had an issues of holding a grudge when someone went against him... but that was rare. She just hoped that the Spartan Queen didn't say anything that may-  
"Don't worry boy. The adults have finished all the talking now. You're just in time to enjoy the party and wine. It was better to have left it to the grown ups anyway." Annabeth laughed and Bianca face palmed immediately, turning pleading eyes on her now impassive faced brother not to do or say anything rude which may compromise all the work and hassle of trying to make peace, which she had just done.  
"My Prince?" Jason warned quietly, a grave undertone being to his eyes as he looked between the Spartan Queen and his Prince who he had vowed to protective with his life. "I think it would be best if you have a drink."  
"I think we all could do with one." Bianca interjected as all of a sudden, a quite battle of wills erupted between Nico and Annabeth. Neither allowing themselves to be the the first one to break the look with the other.  
"We brought you some gifts as an offering." Nico grated out of his teeth as he lowered his gaze first when Bianca shot him a defined glare.

But he was still thinking about those eyes... those grey. Calculative. Eyes... it couldn't be... there was just absolutely no chance.

Jason nodded to him approvingly as he retreated back to go and present the gifts from his mother to this Queen... _Bitch. _Though he thought in the back of his mind as he regarded a pointed glare to the back of her head. "I see your lover is not present here." Bianca noted casually and Annabeth laughed.  
"I see you Trojans have also heard about my love life as well."  
"We like to stay well informed of our enemies." Nico shrugged and Bianca scowled at him while Annabeth just grinned.  
"As do I... please do tell me how is your lover Zoe these days?" The blond smirked and watched how Bianca kept her face completely impassive of all and any emotion. "Oh please, do not fret, none among you have betrayed you. I knew her from a long time ago. She had once tried to recruit me into your army." Annabeth shrugged. "I saw myself off better as a ruler though."  
"Naturally." Bianca forced a smile. "She is doing well, recovering from child birth. The gods blessed us with a gift, by the grace of Artemis she allowed Zoe to carry mine and hers child."  
"Your kingdom must have celebrated much." Annabeth noted and leaned back in her throne as she took another scolding sip of the strong wine. "But I'm sure my future king will be along soon. I sent for him."  
"Which we will talk about later!"

Jason shot a look over as Nico visibly froze in place. He noted how Bianca shot her brother a questioning look of surprise as the prince paled drastically. "That voice!" they both heard him whisper as they watched a cloaked figure step into the candle light of the room slowly.

The figure kept themselves hidden beneath the cloak at first, leaning on the Greek pillar columns. The material seemed to almost blend in completely, had it not been for the tunic beneath against the sun kissed skin, then they could have easily just as mingled in among the hall of the room.

Bianca watched from the oak table as the figure stepped lightly into the pool of water, the mosaic shinning beneath them brightly as the figure waded through. No waves displaced from them... curious. It was like the water was hugging onto him, as though it was another layer of tough skin. _Very strange. _She thought in the back of her head, though he was still surprised by the extent of how her brother was shocked.

The sunlight coursed over the figure even more as he came to a stop in front of them, seemingly copying Nico's stance as the figure stared at him in return. "May I present my future lover and king." Annabeth smirked. "Percy of Sparta."

The boy pulled his hood back with delicate fingers, to reveal a face which looked as though Aphrodite herself must have made. The boy's eyes made Poseidon's ocean come to life inside of those two simple orbs. Bianca had to admit even to herself that the boy seemed like that but nothing less than a gift of every god or goddess of love, lust and beauty. If he wasn't then she was a satyr. "Glad to make your acquaintance." She smiled, taking the boy's palm and brushing her hand over his knuckles gently, earning a soft smile in response from him as he sensed her friendly aura.  
"This is Princess Bianca. Heir to the throne of Troy." Annabeth said with a slight hint of admiration to her voice. Her eyes roamed over the black haired beauties before her which were both Bianca and Percy. A light smile playing on her lips. "Leader of the armies of the great city, first born of the Queen, favourite of the gods. Shadow weaver and war legend soldier." Bianca blushed under the compliment from the Queen but still was distracted. Annnabeth shrugged, a look tossed down as her goblet was filled back up with wine and people began to flock into the court room, bringing great and large trays of meat and food with them, to ready for the east which would be that night in celebration of the treaty.

Annabeth had spared absolutely no expense.

Already reports had come to her that the Athenians were backing away from their borders. "And Prince Nico." She said, waving her hand off slightly as Nico shot her a glare. Adjusting his tunic self consciously as Percy walked and stood directly in front of him. "The pleasure." Nico said softly as he reached out and took Percy's hand, lifting it slowly to his lips before letting them caress a little to long over the boy's fingers and his knuckles. His dark eyes turning up slowly to regard Percy's own sea green ones. "Is all mine."

He watched Annabeth raise an eyebrow and Bianca quickly turn around to smile at the Queen. "He's a beauty isn't he." Annabeth said with soft eyes at Percy, who snapped his hand back quickly from Nico's gentle grasp, pulling his hood back up and letting it sway out it's trail as he turn sharply on the spot. "Percy, be a dear and show the Prince his sleeping chambers." She grinned, shedding her armour without a care, thinking Bianca's eyes would trail over her form.

Percy just sneered behind his face and rolled his eyes at her actions as she pulled a gown around herself. "Am I allowed out of my room then?" He wondered and watched her shoot him a quick and stabbing glare.  
"Of course." She smiled.  
_Meaning I'm going to be staying there longer now. _He sighed to himself and watched an amuse glint move through Nico's eyes as he simply clicked his fingers and nodded his head in the direction of the last corridor.

When both had left Bianca let out a hearty laugh and shook her head in disbelief. "He's a wild one." She noted, her eyes twinkling with amusement at how the boy had so simply questioned the Spartan Queen like that. The gods knew how many years Bianca had spent out on the front lines fighting against the Queen and her forces... but all the while, he guessed that back here at there home. The Queen had been dealing with many other things as well.  
"He certainly is." Annabeth smirked. "As wild as an untamed horse. As unconquerable as the sea. As defiant as the tide. As strong and courageous as a wave rolling on the shore. But still more beautiful than anything else which could be found on land."  
"You can't be serious." Bianca scoffed as she saw what the Queen was insinuating. "No chance in Hades. There hasn't been one for-... even then-"  
"I have faith and know that logic resides towards that fact." Annabeth grinned and Bianca thought back to the way Percy had moved through the water... come to think of it. Even as he had rose out of the turquoise colour contained tide... he hadn't even been wet.  
"Astounding." She said quietly and shook her head. "But still, you really think you will conquer him? If what you're saying is correct, then it's a surprise-"  
"That we're both within each other's company?" Annabeth mused. "He can't escape. I want his beauty to be mine alone and that is what I will have. If I cannot have him love me." She grabbed a nearby apple. Biting into it deeply as she pulled out her dagger and sliced the rest. "Then I will take it by force and the deception of wisdom."  
"Oh... I see." Bianca nodded and let her gaze move sadly away from the Queen at the thought of that boy.

If only there was a way to get him from her... no one should be caged up like some piece to be enjoyed by people. _I wish... He didn't have to stay here like this. _She closed her eyes for a minute.

_Be careful what you wish for Bianca Di Angelo. _A voice cackled in her head.

_**-Meanwhile-**_

Percy strode forward, his white cloak trailing through the air like a soft pair of wings behind him as the boy took each step gracefully, enveloped by the sun, his eyes sparkling and changing from one shade of blue and green to the next with each passing second. His face was set hard and he ran a hand through his thick black spikes once, scolding himself for having addressed the Queen like that in front of these two guests. But he had just been so shocked by the Prince... there had to be absolutely no way possible that it could really be him. From Percy's dream! The beautiful boy who he wished would come and save him from this prison. Maybe the gods had heard his prayer and plea!

But Percy knew one thing certainly...

The boy was far more beautiful in person than any dream.

One thing he didn't notice was as they walked outside among the courtyards the sunlight manifested itself on the breeze into the hazy shape of resemblance of a boy who crouched delicately on the long faded red tile roof.

Percy gazed out, unknowingly to even his clear eyes of this.

Imagine being isolated from the world. That your entire existence is wrapped around a small set of islands which are born every morning from the rising sun, gliding over the crest of the turquoise jewel sea.

The rising cliffs stood as falling guardians. Like knights who had battled on the fields of Ares for their king. The rocks chalk white rocks were cracked and splintered, dotted with the small caves were refugees hid from the eternal wrath of the eternal, merciless gods though often found that they fell with the new days storm.

The sea often claimed those who had wronged it... Percy admired that. His love of the sea was complete and would never be taken or changed... not even by Annabeth and her insistence that he pray only to Athena and Ares, (thought the later was due to the fact only because of he was the patron to the city.), but still defiant to the last, he never stopped in his worship of Poseidon. He was a natural born of a small town where Poseidon had been worshipped above all other gods... that was the only thing that he had left of his old life now.

And no blond or Queen was ever going to change his worship.

In the far cliffs that threatened that Percy spent walking quietly with the Prince as they headed further and further away from the courtroom, was the wings of the palace where the bed chambers rested. Edging on the threatening to collapse cliffs stood a low row of separate villas which where raised up a flight of steps and connected by tunnels back to the main pallace... though Percy had no interest in walking that way right now. He'd had enough of being stuck inside the building, so he was going to enjoy, (no matter how little amount of time it was), a spot of sunlight running over his face. Annabeth truly was a genius though when it came to building and architecture, Percy would admit.

He stared out with Nico at a keep of pure elegance which could only be blessed in it's beauty by Aphrodite and the genius of it's architecture by lady Athena, though Annabeth had just as much wisdom to rival herself as the goddess. The step of the outside palace were a pure white marble. After being scrubbed every day for a usual basis of eight hours, what could be expected?

The outside pillars stood tall and strong as they held up a crimson tiled roof. The mosaic depicted the ancient gods sat in banquet and amusement. The inside halls freshly scrubbed as figures bound with only tight black collars and loincloths. Barely even given the barest of human decencies as the masters of the home walked past and bellowed their laughters as they smashed buckets of fresh sea water over the heads of the slaves who fell to the ground and slipped on the marble.

Nico frowned deeply as he watched this and Percy sighed. He didn't even need to say it out loud for Nico to know that they were the slaves of war. Fallen in battle.

He was just glad none of them were Trojans.

Percy finally came to a large pool of lilac water bathed in the beautiful sunlight as the fresh lotus bloomed across the top. His fingers traced the rose petals delicately and Nico stared hypnotised by the beauty that Percy possessed. His heart hammering increasingly faster against his ribcage.

Neither saw the air shimmering with the figure of wings as finally Eros took his crouch with a grin, staring between the two boys.

He notched both arrows on his bow which shined with the golden light of his power. _Mother wanted these two together. _He thought and beamed at the fact. His wings fluttered loudly and created small bursts of winds which swept over Percy, making the boy's hood fall back and his black hair gently rustle. _Let it be done. _He laughed in his head as he poured his power of lust and channelled the influence of his mother into his bow which shined brightly like ray of sunlight.

He dissolved just as both arrows made their marks into both of the boy's chests. Sinking their powers through their hearts and sealing the deal of Aphrodite's power.

Nico staggered slightly as he felt a strong breeze of wind batter against his chest. His heart hammered fast and for a moment he held his hand over where it would be. His subconscious feeling the strike of Eros' love arrows as they had hit their target. A smile played along his lips though he knew absolutely not why. "You will be sleeping just up here." Percy finally said, after having swooned a bit himself after the arrow had pierced into his heart.

Both Eros' arrows were potent in their effect as was the power of Aphrodite.

The love was set into their blood.

It would be simply a matter of time before the lustful power of Eros would over run them completely.

Nico nodded and followed the boy up the steps into and open and exposed square flat room. The walls were made up of columns as had been the hall in Annabeth's throne room.

A large double bed was laid out in the centre, freshly laid sheets of emerald silk were placed on the soft feather pillows. The four large posters held up curtains as did the edges of the ceiling around the room. Percy subconsciously gravitated towards a large pool of water was not to far from it, where Nico guessed he would bathe in the morning before leaving.

A side table of deep oak had been carved to hold up a silver jug of oil which would anoint the skin and give it the glow which Percy himself naturally had without the aid of.

The rest of the room made up a serious of shelves which held various scrolls and bound books, parchments of random writing from whoever had been here previously. Graves and wine were placed on a large silver tray next to a seat of purple pillows on the marble seat. Nico could think of a lot of uses for this room... but it truly was beautiful. It was placed perfectly so the sea breeze filled it and was exposed with the right amount of sunlight and shadows to keep it cool but not too much so. It was decorated with mirrors, various stands and chests of jewellery, which Nico guessed was a gift to him out of obligation from the Queen... he would probably just give it to Hazel when they returned home. She would just give it to Leo who would be grateful of something to use to make his amazing and beautiful armour or weapons. He may have been a priest but he was also the kingdoms best blacksmith.

Nico sighed softly, throwing his cloak to the side and laid back on the bed. Kicking his sandals off carelessly before he laid back into the embrace of the brilliant softness. "Annabeth had sheets of feathers sowed together to make it more soft?" He guessed and smirked. "And here I'm used to sleeping on the forest floor."  
"I just don't get it."

He looked over as Percy was lent against a column. His sea green eyes regarding the Prince carefully before he shook his head. "No... it doesn't matter." He began to turn away but paused when Nico whispered.  
"Now why would you think that what ever you had to say was unimportant?" The Prince smiled and watched the shock expression move through Percy's face at the way he addressed him.

Normally any visitor who came to Sparta would just look at him as though he was some golden piece attraction. Never would they listen to him when he talked to them or asked them questions... let alone when he voice an opinion of his own.

Nico slowly stood and slowly moved towards him, only to find himself pinned against a pillar as he had reached out to touch Percy's cheek and found the other boy's hand wrapped around his wrist before surprisingly moving him like so against the marble. "Is this some trick?" Percy growled. His eyes set deep with caution and a tide of prepared anger.

Nico recognised something else in those eyes.

Solitude.

He only shook his head and kept his face completely impassive of anything else which would come across it. "Not unless you are in on something against me. Because I know that you possibly can't be. I never had believed it at first. I thought that maybe it was some trick played by some rogue followers of Hecate. I thought maybe the apple had been something to trick me out of the city... but then I saw your face." Nico's dark eyes were luring the tanned boy closer with ever passing second.

Already Percy's cloak had been discarded onto the ground, but as Nico pulled his hand into his tunic, Percy followed it. His eyes lingering on the exposed flesh for a minute longer than he would have allowed himself, (which didn't go unnoticed by Nico who smiled inwardly), before the tanned boy locked his eyes onto the golden apple. "What is this?" Percy frowned slightly as he looked into it. For a second he saw himself looking at it, before it moved to the reflection of Nico's face. "Is this some trickery?"  
"I stared into it and saw your face." Nico whispered. Reaching out slowly and moving a lock of black hair out of Percy's beautiful eyes. His fingers brushing over the caramel skin, making the smaller boy shudder slightly at the electric current which passed through him from the simple touch. "I saw you. So alone. So sad." Nico kept his voice so quiet and soft that Percy found himself staring up into those black eyes as both boy's were moving closer and closer to each other till their mouths were but a hairs length from touching. Nico's voice was just as beautifully enchanting as Percy's appearance.

But Aphrodite was certainly leaving nothing to chance as the curtains of the villa filled with a breeze of the scent which the apple had been enchanted with. The scent was so rightly named an aphrodisiac because it held, (like the arrows), the combined power of her and her son. Nothing caught in the net of love and lust would have been able to refuse the arrow's call.

But now Percy was just staring up with defiant eyes. "I saw you in a dream. I saw you... and prayed to the gods that you would come. That someone would come and save me. That I would find someone I loved before I died... I had tried jumping from the height of the cliffs but the fall into the water had been like jumping onto a pile of feathers. I had tried to drown myself but I had been pulled out long before I could lose air... since then, they've always had someone watching me."  
"Haven't you heard the saying?" Nico brushed his fingers more confidently against the boy's cheek as the hidden aroma was filling him and Percy to the brim with lust. "All good things come to those who wait?"  
"Well what took you so long." Percy smiled, pushing himself against Nico's body as still their lips danced around each other's hypnotically, but not yet having touched. "What about you handsome Prince of Troy." His mind had already been clouded and lost to the aroma the moment the arrow had struck his heart. "Sixteen and yet not in any of the news among the Trojan soldiers I cared for in secret did I ever hear of their Prince being married?"  
"I waited..."  
"And?" Percy leaned in.  
"I found you."

Finally their lips sealed.

It was soft at first before becoming charged with hidden lust.

Percy at first had been surprised how easily this was to do. Not once had he kissed Annabeth, though he had seen her do it with plenty of soldiers... and quite persistently with one called Luke, but never himself had he ever done this... but it felt good.

It felt right.

He paused as all of a sudden there was a warm jolt running through his body. His blood began pumping harder and faster. Something crazy was howling out into his ears as he was pinned back to the wall of his room, kissing the handsome boy in front of him with more growing hunger. Those lips... that scent. It was like all that mattered at that moment in time was to have this boy pushed up against him as hard as he could.

His leg curled around the boy's waist possessively as he tried to pull him to lean in further against him. To push their bodies together as hard as possible as something was crying out desperately to be heard. His body yearned and ached to be acknowledged.

Nico spared no time it throwing off his robes to the side and fell back onto the bed. Percy straddling his lap as both became too lost in the Aphrodite trap to care about anything other than kissing and showing attention to the other.

He threw his head back as a pair of lips began to make their way along his throat and hungrily suck on the skin, biting lightly before making sure that there would be a mark left over him. "D-Damn it." Percy whimpered as he let his eyes roll back.

The fire inside of his body was writhing so brilliantly that it felt as though nothing could have put it out. Not the greatest ocean of ice in the world could have dampened this burning heat which was leaving him a writhing and wanton mess.

And so, Percy found himself losing his own tunic.

And spending the hours leading up to the feast, completely devoted to the loving of Prince Nico.

Thereby starting the great war... with a single kiss.


	4. The daring escape

_**Hi! I just want to say such a massive thank you to all of you who favourited and followed this story! ^_^ Thank you again to **_**_Quinn Lexington and XXTheBookWormXX and that sweet Guest for your kind reviews! It meant so much to me with all your kind comments =) _**_**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are =) Warning: story contains BoyxBoy (don't like, then don't read), swearing, scenes of extreme violence and ratings may be turned up at a later time. Next chapter we will meet the characters who will be staring as Achilles, Odysseus and Patroclus. **_

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As the sun rose over the distant crest of the sea, light began to flood into the windows and illuminate onto the white silk sheets of the bed. The golden light of filtered brilliance slowly washed over the bare form and figure who was laying under the silken blanket. The figure let out as a sigh as he couldn't do much other than stare blankly ahead of him as my beautiful sea green eyes began to slowly open and bathe in the light. They were more of a resemblance to the sea than even the great ocean outside was.

The boy just stared out the window as he watched how the skies were free of clouds or any sign of a storm. The long stretch of room became almost scary to consider as he closed his eyes back to the darkness and cradle of slumber. His body ached and was heavy with exhaustion. His voice felt none existent. There was such a peace inside of him... he had never thought that such a thing could ever really exist.

The feeling of securing at the embrace around him. The loving care of the gesture.

He let out a content sight and fell back into the light slumber which he could no longer fight out of.

However, Percy had hardly noticed the figure on the left side of him which sighed softly and yawned to himself as Nico snuggled closer to the boy so that Percy was curved in against his chest. Both as possibly close as their bodies would allow them.

Nico stretched slightly, smiling in his sleep as the rose smell of Percy's hair brushed under his nose, the boy's natural sea breeze sent filled his nose. He too looked tired and exhausted. His neck was covered in small crescent moon marks in the shape of Percy's lips, and his face was a mess of slight beading sweat from the intense morning heat, though Percy was the perfect remedy for that. The smaller boy's body was cool and soothing, that it counteracted the blistering sun from outside as Apollo was taking a peek himself at the two sleeping boys.

Percy just busied himself in his sleep, thinking about those arms which now held him in a possessive and kind embrace. Although seeming under toned, had begun to look stronger and more well used. His skinny form was beginning to get replaced by new forming muscles from the amount he had been practising and training by himself out in the forest. It was like with each passing second, Nico was becoming more handsome to his eyes. Like he was falling in love with him again, over and over again.

Yes. He had seen the boy. Kissed him and fallen in love. Hook, line and sinker... Could love really work like that though? Could Percy really have fallen in love with someone he had only just met but a day before, and given himself too, oh so willingly...

He pulled Nico's hand to his mouth and began to kiss his fingers. Gently brushing his lips over the boy's knuckles as he just enjoyed holding them. Just enjoying the entire feeling of having Nico so close to him. "Yes." Percy whispered to himself. Feeling the way Nico smiled into the back of his head as the taller boy placed an array of kisses on the back of his neck.

He sighed contently and let out a sigh as his eyes began to slowly open. He yawned and stretched out as he let the sunlight wash over his face. "I've never had such a good night sleep." Percy reached up and began to rub the sleep out of his eyes; taking in the entire sight around him of the room. The expensive sheets, the sea view, the emerald draping over head. Why couldn't this moment last? It was like he had been sent to Elysium. "For a minute there I thought it had all be just a dream." He whispered softly, before laughing at how Nico pulled him back and turned him to face his sleeping self. The taller, olive skinned boy grinned as he just placed an array of kisses over the boy. "Does that feel like a dream?" Nico teased.

Percy blushed brightly and leaned in as the kisses became slower and longer between the two, turning their heads slightly , panting and breathless, till starved of oxygen and forced to come back up. Still Aphrodite's blessed breeze ran over both of them as she had managed to sneak into the room during the night and placed fresh clothes and a cloak down for them to change into as she was still weaving her plan together. But she knew what she had to do right now. She had to take the next stage of the power. Love had been set by Eros' arrows in both of the boys, that was the first stage. But now she had to work far more delicately.

Removing the breeze of lust, she began to weave something far more delicate over both of them.

Realisation.

This was going to be one the most careful jobs she had done in hundreds of years.

Nico just couldn't help but smile and reach out, brushing his fingers across Percy's face as the smaller boy's breath brushed over his face. "I just don't know." The Prince whispered. "How someone can be so beautiful."  
"But does it even really matter." Percy sighed for the first time and turned back over, staring out the room and across to the ocean beneath.

Nico noted how the waves began to crash a little more loudly and struck against the cliff more forcefully. Watching how the colour in Percy's eyes was like a whirlpool of blue, azure, turquoise and pale green which was mixing as the boy just stared sadly. "We should not. Have done that last night." He whispered. A hitch going into his voice as he felt a lump of misery get suppressed inside of his chest.  
"Do you regret it?" Nico asked sadly, reaching out slowly and running his hand across Percy's brow. Brushing aside the locks of ink hair which had fallen in front of the boy's eyes.  
"Only because of the fact that you made me feel once again alive." Percy admitted.

Nico's eyes widened slightly shock as he pulled the boy close, their bare bodies complimenting one another. Nico's warmth brought security to Percy while the smaller boy's coolness brought a awaken awareness to the prince. But how could Percy regret himself once more feeling alive? How could this beautiful boy think that he deserved anything less than absolute happiness. "Do not regret feeling alive" Nico kept his hand softly on Percy's cheek. Caressing the boy as he couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
"I regret it because by the time Apollo rests, you will be back in your city Trojan."

Nico stared sadly as he felt the boy's tears break through the face he had been trying to hold. Percy hadn't wanted the prince to see him cry. He wasn't some damsel. He had spent so many years looking after himself, he wasn't used to showing emotions or affections at all, let alone to someone else. "You will go back home and forget all about me."  
"Now why would you think that?"  
"Because Annabeth would never allow me to leave. Even if she did, she would never allow it to be you to take me. You sealed her opinion of yourself when you dared to meet her gaze as you did." Percy smiled through the tears, remembering just how truly defiant the boy had been towards the Queen. A sight he very rarely saw but rather played for in front of the others and behind the closed doors of the palace.  
"Well I don't really care for Queen Annabeth too much anyway." Nico smirked, grabbing Percy's leg and pulling it around his waist as he pulled the boy into a bruising kiss which the smaller, melted into, oh so gladly.  
"Well what can we really do! You've only just signed a peace treaty with her!" Percy rose from the bed, unwinding himself from Nico loving hold as he grabbed a large nearby silken white piece. It would button up over his shoulder and fall in folds, just cutting short in a triangle point between his knees.

The rest of his body was exposed though at the sides and Nico couldn't stop now imagining what lay beneath as he let his own small grin play over his face. "Percy of Troy. Do you ever think that I'd let you go back to being Annabeth's pet, now that I have tasted your lips." Nico crawled forward across the bed slowly, curling his finger under Percy's chin and bringing their lips together. "Do you think that I would ever allow, that blond brat to get something which belongs to no one!" He allowed some of his families old accent creep into his voice. He could see the way that it visibly sent trembles down Percy's spine as the other boy shuddered slightly leaning back in to reciprocate the kiss. "But how can you really stop her... she's the Queen of Sparta-"  
"And I'm the Prince of Troy." Nico said softly, moving his hand along Percy's thigh as he gently traced the folds of the white silk.  
"Hmm... Prince." Percy mused softly. Feeling a hand slip beneath the material as Nico traced the boy's lean torso and forming six-pack. "So... what does that mean I now belong to you?"  
"You belong to no one." Nico said, leaning in, contradictory to his comment as he bit down softly on the boy's neck and sucking it hard to make sure he left a large enough Hickey.

"I have a plan." He whispered softly and lifted Percy up into to his lap as he passionately kissed into boy, leaning Percy back against the quilt, before discarding the needless bit of clothing once more.

_**-Break-**_

Bianca smiled from the hull of the ship as she watched the men pulling the various shipment crates back into the hold. All of them seeming more comfortable at peace, after being fed full by the Queen. "By the gods, those Spartans know how to eat." She joked as she remembered the great number of pigs and beasts which had been roasted whole and torn apart carnivorously by the Spartans who wasted no such time in mannerisms of a table.

But Bianca must admit, although greatly against her expectations, the visit had been quite a pleasurable one... if you excused the amount the Queen had tried to flirt with her. But one thing did weigh on her mind though.

Like the strange weather that had seemed to posses the ship this morning... it had rolled in from the great height of the mountains and filled every street, boat and deck. Bianca had spent most of the morning on the ship and swore the mist was so thick, she would not have seen her own hand if it had been held directly in front of her face.

Strange omens were beginning to show themselves with the day. She had sworn that a dove had flown past her room and to Nico's cliff side one over night. She had even tried going to visit her brother, only to find herself completely turned around at every attempt she made to go to it... but she couldn't even remember why she had turned around. It had gone like that till eventually she had just decided to go back to the great throne room and feast with the others.

Speaking of which.

She slowly turned to look at Jason who was giving out orders to the soldiers to drop their weapons and help pack away the heavy chests from Annabeth. "Well she certainly has wealth down to an art." Jason frowned slightly and wiped the beading sweat from his head as he was carrying a single large chest on his shoulders alone. He had ditched his heavy armour for as simple pair of shorts, though he always careful to make sure that it was always within reach of wherever he moved on the ship, or his sword was still there attached to his waist by the belt which was exposing the lines of his waist. "Stare a bit harder, my lady." Reyna warned and Bianca burst out laughing, knowing the joking nature was something that only passed between her and Reyna.

The other girl was in full cast of armour unlike everyone else. Sporting the full armour branding of Troy, not reluctant in letting her signature cloak down for a second. Her hand resting on her sword as she paced the length of the ship back and forth. Eyes careful on the set of great gates around them. Never leaving a single guard for a second, except to watch Bianca out the corner of her eye.

Bianca's laugh was the sweetest and cooling of gestures that the crew always appreciated when they were busying around her. "Oh watch out Jason. Your intentions of looks make cause me some sudden lustful shot from Eros' bow!" She exclaimed with a teasing smile, watching how Jason blushed realising how exposed he truly was. "I can change if it displeases you." He suggested, earning a glare from Reyna.  
"For my sake and yours." Bianca laughed, almost doubling over. "I'd suggest you don't. I'm not sure Reyna would appreciate that very much, if you took away her favourite sight."  
"Y-yes Princess." Jason nodded, his face almost bright red as Reyna looked at him expectantly to carry on. Nodding so and staring appreciatively at his arse as he walked past her. Tilting her head slightly nodded once more to herself before going back to her quiet and solitary patrol.  
"What I was going to do, was to ask whether or not, you had seen my Brother?" She wondered, fixing the azure and turquoise trimmed dress she had brought with her. "I didn't see much of him before or after the feast last night... I fear he may have been sulking from the Queen." She shook her head. "It was best that he took himself out of the situation all together."  
"WHERE IS HE" A scream echoed across the city.

All on the ship froze in their place as Nico came above deck of the ship, and Bianca turned slowly with narrowed, dark eyes. "What did you do." She muttered accusingly but Nico just rose his hands in defence, his face a picture of absolute and perfect innocence. Dark eyes regarding her back imploringly as the boy was slightly pale.

Suddenly the sight of a white figured girl storming out of the great palace doors was all that Bianca needed to have the men raise the sails and go... the fact that the men flanking the Queen had bows and arrows, ready and pointed her way, was yet but another reason. "SEIZE THEM!" The echo bounced off the wall, though each Spartan remained frozen in place on the guard tower as Aphrodite's power drew mist over their eyes.

"Princess-"  
"Already on it!" Bianca shouted, taking her seat among the oar rowers and doing her own desperate part to get the boat moving and out of the bay. "Why aren't they firing?"  
"Maybe it's just a rouse." Reyna glared, watching how in seconds Jason had dived into his armour and was now standing at the ready with the rest of the crew as the waves pushed heavily against the sides, pushing unnaturally hard and giving them a strong wind to sail fast away from the coves of the city and into the open ocean where they could begin their long journey home.

Bianca just ran to the railings. Watching how a dark glare was cast her way as her eyes connected with the Queen, before the blond turned on the spot and the archers lowered their bows. Returning to their casual posts. "Maybe she had forgotten to give us something." Bianca said quietly as Reyna took a strong stance next to her. Both of them having a growing knot of worry in their stomachs.  
"Maybe." Reyna said quietly though both believed none of the comforting words which they whispered to try and slate their worries.

_**-Break-**_

Piper leaned back contently in her bath, sighing at how content she felt as the hot steaming miss sank into her skin and bones. Her body ached from spending all day on her feet. It wasn't enough that she was future ruler of the entirety of Greece, (well, that was already assured by the way that she accumulating armies into her own, thanks to her secret weapon), but she had to go around cleaning up after the messes that people made! One army massacred another! The Oracle of Delphi had been kidnapped and was now no where to be seen. Troy and Sparta had signed a treaty! Why couldn't she just get a break!

All those weeks of careful made up planning, gathering the greatest acclaimed attack force that world had ever seen! Enough to battle the forces of Troy! And now, her dearest affection had gone and signed a treaty with the god damn rulers! Oh, why did her poor, sweet Annabeth have to go and do that. That blond beauty was getting in the way of her plans... but that was okay. Piper was good with change. She was sure she could find a way around this without having to hurt or get in Annabeth's way, or vice versa.

She sighed and took a deep sigh, breathing in deeply as she let the steam fill her from head to toe.

She could feel the way that the soldiers watched her all the more carefully, their eyes widening every now and then as she would kick her leg out the water. Her skin was a dark tanned colour. Her chocolate-brown hair that is cut choppy and uneven with thin strands braided down on the sides, was expertly curled and now floated out around her as she laid back in the water. Her eyes shined in the light, never settling on one colour but always changing and never stopping in transition of light. Unlike most of those around her. She found herself needing more and more relaxation as time was going on. "So Annie... what am I going to do about our little problem." She whispered to the ceiling. Running her fingers through her hair after applying fresh scented honey extract to it.

Although she would never announce it, she prided her self on her looks. Like she told Annabeth. How you ruled was only a part of being a leader. How you appeared to others? That was just as important.

"Queen Piper... we have a problem." One of the soldiers nervously stepped forward.  
"Ugh! No problems! Let me have this time to my self! When I have finished bathing, then you can bother me! Until then, leave the room." She threw up her hand and the soldiers flinched back, almost running over each other to get out the room.

She still had so far to go. "I need to call Annie... see if I can figure out how to get around your little treaty."  
"Queen Piper! It is urgent!"  
"Can't I have a simple bath in peace-"  
"PIPER!" A voice nearly shook the palace as it bellowed through each and every corridor. If the walls could have cracked and fallen to pieces in ruin from that shake, then they would have.  
"Annie?!" Piper's eyes widened as she threw herself out of the water.  
"You can't go in there-AHHH!" Blood began to move itself under the doorway as the point of a sword came shoved through the deep wood.

_Yeah. That's Annabeth. _Piper smiled inwardly to herself but just felt her fear rise more at the fact of Annabeth's sheer rage and pitch of voice.

Pulling on a gown and tying it around her self as fast as she could, Piper sprinted across the marble floor with the nimble and graceful agility of a nymph who had been blessed by the goddess Artemis. Each step was placed just as carefully as the next. Her hair trailing out down past her waist as in the rush it blew out behind her. "Piper!"

The doors were threw open and the dark skinned girl threw her arms out, not looking before she pulled Annabeth into a tight embrace. Not seeing the angry tears shed from those enchanting grey orbs which were Annie's eyes. "Hey, hey." She whispered using the soft tone of her voice which she would only ever allow to be shown to the girl in front of her. Weaving her fingers gently through Annabeth's golden threads of hair, she felt the girl become slightly more at ease, resting against her. "What's wrong my wise warrior." Piper purred quietly, watching the tears sparkle as Annabeth's angry glare was pointed to the room behind them.

Neither even looked as the Spartan Queen's sword was pulled out of the lowly soldier's chest and he was pried off the door to go and be burnt with a shroud.

Piper didn't even bat an eye at it.

"I- I didn't mean to disturb you."  
"Oh hush now, it's never a disturb when it's you come to my gates." Piper threw her arm around the girl and began to guide her into the room where she knew they would have the most privacy. Eagerly closing the doors behind her as she went back over to the blond desire. "Now come tell me. What has brought forward such tears from those marble eyes?" Piper smiled, using the sleeve of her robe to gently wipe away the tears.  
"They mock me." She hissed. "And turned my hospitality, my care, my loyalty back into my face! Those minions of Hades! Those foul wisps of Tartarus! I WILL CRUSH THEM FOR WHAT THEY DID!"  
"How about telling me first. What they actually did." Piper gave that dazzling and hypnotic smile which had won her the trust of a hundred kings and the fearful cries of a thousand armies. Her eyes sparkling as she reached out, brushing Annabeth's cheeks. "Who dared to hurt you?"

Annabeth sank forward, still lapping up the affection of the embrace. Lowering her head onto Piper's lap as she lay out across the length of a seat. Her chest heavy with anger at herself. Piper's kind eyes were turned down onto her, keeping that smile that Annabeth loved, into complete focus on her.

It was just like when Piper had first found the girl on the streets of Athens, left to die as a body on the floor... but no. This wasn't the little girl that Piper had met oh so long ago. Annabeth had been taken away from Athens as a slave. Beaten. Broken. Almost completely destroyed. But Piper had nursed the girl back to health. Taught her strength. Taught her the importance of wielding a sword or both of their preferred cases: a knife. Annabeth was a warrior. As proven when she took the right of Spartans and had earned her place as ruler, even at the girl's early age of sixteen.

Piper had grown up with the girl, watching over her till Annabeth was ready to leave and go rule on her own...but that didn't mean that Piper didn't miss the girl. With all her heart and fibre of love, Piper wished every day to once wake up again to the smile of Annabeth jumping on her bed, asking if they were going to have another training session. Whether she could go out and take on real soldiers... whether she could go to the dungeons of the palace and interrogate prisoners of war so that she could help Piper in her fights.  
"I took him in! I gave him everything! Then they come... they signed the treaty and thought they could get away with it!"

Piper froze. Stopping the smile which was trying with every ounce and fibre to explode onto her face as she wanted to close her eyes and scream with happiness. _Could the gods really make me this lucky. Could the gods really have blessed me with this? _She wondered over and over again as Annabeth stared up at the mosaic ceiling above them. "What do you mean." Piper whispered softly. Keeping her voice to nothing above of a soft purr which was the only thing stopping Piper from leaning down and connecting their mouths together... that and the fact that she had always decided Annabeth would be the one who had to come to her. She would woo her from a distance and watch the blond come back to her, just in time so that they could rule the combined Greece together. Be the strongest people in history! To shape the world any way or form that they wished! To have everything they ever wanted! To have a power which could rival the gods!

Only with that power could Piper ensure that her sweet Annabeth could be happy and finally safe. "The Trojans!" Annabeth finally exclaimed. "They've taken my Percy! They stole my future king! They stole from me! They have dishonoured me! Turned my hospitality back in my face and made me look a laughing stock!" She shouted but fell quiet as Piper hushed her softly.  
"There, there Annie." She hummed softly. "Don't worry. We will deal with them." She lent down, pulling the girl into the embrace of her arms. "Together." She nodded.

Annabeth sniffled slightly and lent back into the calm and strong embrace which was Piper.

But the high Queen was now grinning madly as she looked down at her blond. _I really should send those Trojans a gift. Not only have they given me my Annie back... but also an excuse to finally take the rest of Greece._

Inwardly a cold and dark laughter filled herself as she though about finally taking her future home for herself and her blond while she stared down dotingly at Annabeth's soft and beautiful face.

* * *

_**Hi everyone! Once again such a massive thank you for all of your support, each of you who read, favourite, follow and review! It means so much to me that you still read it! I hope that I'm fair with my updating rate, but I must say it will be 3-4 days before I update this again as of I'm going back to college after my half term break tomorrow. So I'll try and get writing in all my spare minutes and try to have something for you all to read in three days time! Next chapter will have as I said, our introduction to our Achilles, Patroclus and Odysseus! (I wonder if any of you will figure out who I've planned it to be? =3) And as well, next chapter will have Nico telling Bianca about what he has done.**_


	5. The truth comes out

_**Hi! I just want to say such a massive thank you to all of you who favourited and followed this story! ^_^ Thank you again to **_**_Quinn Lexington and XXTheBookWormXX and that sweet Guest for your kind reviews! I decided that because of all your sweet comments (you amazing people melt my heart you know? =) ) I decided that I was going to give you a chapter as early as possible! But it may be difficult after this as I am having trouble, going into and out of hospital. But don't worry, I'll make sure to keep all your chapters coming fresh and good =) Thank you again to every single one of you, you made someone very happy indeed =) _**_**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are my little Trojans and Greeks =) Warning: story contains BoyxBoy (don't like, then don't read), swearing, scenes of extreme violence and ratings may be turned up at a later time.**_

* * *

The soothing and cool breeze ran through the air as the Aura's danced, stepping light and stretching like ballerinas. Each laughing softly as they sprinted through the edge of the crumbling cliff. Diving in and out of the large stone pillars which formed the destroyed arena of long time past. "Not this time!" A voice called out loudly.

The Aura's laughed to themselves, giggling as their hollow body sprinkled in and out of existence. Each of them, petite with dark slowly flowing hair, brown eyes, with pointed ears, and a timeless face. They could have been mistaken so many times by others. They ducked behind the pillars. They sparkled in their ghostly form. Watching and keeping the show in front of them, completely cool with their breeze and dance of winds, so they could stare at the beautiful pair who were sparring between the pillars.

Their eyes locked first onto the long dark haired girl. She moved forcefully and with brilliant great determination. A spear in her hands, sparking at the edge. As the Aura's watched, it seemed like there was a faint after glow of red to her skin as she charged brutally through ever expanse. Every pillar would have crumbled and been obliterated had she punched it. But her eyes was locked onto her training target. "Come on! Get on with it!" Her hair flew out behind her on her shoulders. A tight pony tail of deep brown.

The Aura's decided it was fair to call her a big, tall girl with long, stringy light brown hair, and even darker, (almost black) brown eyes and strong looking arms. She was the definition of a training warrior. "Come on brother! You wanted to train so lets train!"

She suddenly jolted back as an arrow buried it self into the marble pillar, barely a few inches from her face.

Her eyes widened as suddenly a figure rose from a crouch on the rocks. The sun behind him blocking him out almost as a shadow to her sight. The figure had strong toned arms and lightly tanned skin. He had changed so very much from when he had been a child, growing up with her.

As he stepped forward slowly he drew his sword and the sun shined over his face revealing his amazing features.

He had become taller, he lost his babyish face becoming very handsome. Though the girl new that he had found no one yet worth of his love... not that no one wanted him. He always ended up having more girls and even guys coming after him than he could handle. Each and every single one of them was disappointing to find that their company was rejected. His body became stronger, as his shoulder's became broader and more muscular, he also loss his stomach fat becoming lean but muscular. He was the ideal image of a warrior and just as strong. "Come on."

She crouched slightly and gripped her spear tighter in her grasp. It's edge sparkling with energy as she watched him carefully for each move. "Father would be so proud." He grinned and dress the sword from his sheath. His broad and strong chest gleaming in the sunlight as he only sported a pair of shorts on his body. His thighs were pure strong muscle. He was the secret weapon of the Queen... but he only fought for one reason.

To be remembered. To have his name written in history as the strongest. To be known. Going from being that ridiculed kid from his younger years. No. Now he was a warrior. He fought for a Queen he had no time to bother with. He just took his orders to fight where known. Having Kings know his name and turn around in fear. running away as fast as possible in the opposite direction.

But he did enjoy times like this when he could be with his half cousin to spar and challenge her. To help her become stronger. "As you wish Clarisse." He smiled and lunged forward with his sword. Watching how she spun her spear defensively, though her fingers were wrapped around it preciously.

As he brought his sword down heavily, the sound of metal clashing filled the air as the boy moved in blitz waves, jabbing and rushing his word into contact with the other, giving her no chance of her own to attack. Her eyes widened slightly but a smile was still on her lips as she drew her own sword and threw the spear carefully to the side. "This should be interesting." Clarisse smiled.

She flinched back and tightened her grip on the weapon. Watching how the other boy was light on his feet... his strikes were like falling columns. She had to put one hundred percent of her strength in to make sure that he couldn't land a hit on her. She was strong... but Frank always seemed to manage a hit on her. He was careful. Smart. Cautious and it always showed because damn it he was sometimes, what felt like invincible! Both knew that they had a hidden strength in their blood.

But Frank seemed to just use that in every strike.

A true hero of his blood.

"You need to be more careful about where to land your strikes." Frank grinned as he side stepped slowly around the pillars. His eyes always locked onto her. To him every battle was the same. Fun or not. Sparring or full blown out war. He had to put a hundred percent into it. "You need to keep your guard up." He lunged forward and Clarisse met the strike. Sparks flying from the blades and across the ground.

The Aura's blushed and fanned themselves with their own breeze as they watched the way Clarisse threw her armour off her body and remained herself in some shorts and a tunic shirt. Her eyes keen and almost glowing with a red tinge. They were nose to nose. Holding each other off as Frank was pushing with the lightest amount of strength. He didn't want to her his half cousin/sister. He loved her far to much for that.

"I'm not losing this time!" She bellowed pushing him back sharply and going for a mighty slash at him.

He simply side stepped and watched as she smashed through the marble with an almighty roar. Her sword slicing through the rock as though it was nothing but water. Her arms bulged and veins began to ebb as her aura flickered stronger and stronger. Her body trembled with the over whelming domination of adrenalin. The need to battle and fight was driving her crazy.

Her hair fell over her face, free from the pony tail as she panted for breath. She had jarred her arm slightly from that strike. But that is the strength that she needed when she was facing the other boy.  
"Oh."  
"My."  
"Gods." The Aura's laid on their stomachs, watching with large ghostly blushes as they saw the columns topple down around her like dominoes from her strike. The ancient stands which had represented the area were falling and breaking apart. Shards of marble littering the ground around her as she panted heavily, her eyes looking through the curtain of hair which covered her face. Sweat beaded across her brow as her grip on the sword suddenly tightened so much that she would find out later she had made some dents in the metal.

A slow smirk moved onto her lips as she flicked her hair back and let her face shine in the sunlight. The energy bubbling in her blood. She rushed forward in what almost was a blur of speed. Her foot leaving deep impacts into the ground from her sandals as she pounded forward. Her entire body aching and running dangerously with the lust of war. "LET'S END THIS!" She shouted with great excitement.

Frank smiled to himself as he watched the girl. _One day. _He smiled. _You will make such a great warrior... and I will worry with all my heart about you. _His half lidded eyes slowly turned up as he brought his strike up to meet Clarisse's downward impale. The meeting sent more flaring sparks across the dusty ground, a slight tremble moved across the floor as a shock wave of the two collided strengths was felt around the area. The Aura's staring in awe as the two held each other at bay. Blitzing each other more with quick bursts of strikes.

_Parry, thrust, up, block, strike, down, guard, guard, GUARD. _Her thoughts roared as the sword trembled in her almighty grip. Her eyes narrowed in war hatred. Not at her half brother, but more at the fact that her strikes were being met so well in defence and Frank moved so elegantly drawing his sword in a spiral strike, knocking her of her feet and backwards as she scrambled back up and took one last almighty strike. Pouring every ounce of energy in her blood into it with a roar which the Aura's trembled at, being blown back slightly from the shock wave which followed from Frank's intense guard.

They stared unbelieving as Frank's stance barely changed. His leg slightly back to support the weight of the down thrust which would have obliterated anyone else. He smiled inwardly at just how much the girl had developed.

The Aura's just grinned as they watched the two hot sweaty warriors going at each other with those violent blows. "So strong." Whispered the first one.  
"Oh Elena, please, he is obviously the the power and strength. The one of whispers among Olympus." The second one whispered. Combing her brilliant long brown hair, drawing sparkles of gold into the strands, and smiling over at Frank enviously.  
"As if there could be a chance to ever sate the lustful nature for the Demigod. There is no one who has just as yet held the warriors eye. It seems Aphrodite has certain long plans for him." The third one laughed.  
"Staris." The one called Elena shook her head. Looking at her two sisters; Staris and Artemisa, (named after the goddess as the moon goddess had saved her in child birth, so her mother had named in respect and thankful honour to the goddess. "We should not talk of such things! The gods are already at a stir because of Aphrodite! We need to watch our mouths, lest that we turn out like Scylla or Charybdis." Elena straightened her dress and slowly stood. "We must go! We have been summoned by Poseidon and Zeus to speed the sails of the Prince and his lover back to Troy." She whispered softly and launched through the air, dissipating into a cool and pleasant caressing breeze. Rushing over Frank softly before going out back to the sea.

Frank smiled at the small breeze. "Al'right Clarisse. Let's finish this." Sparks drove from his blade as he began to push back. Watching her push with her entire will of power.

He watched the way her foot trembled slightly as she was struggling to keep up with this strength. Almost like the power of the gods ran through his half mortal veins. "Watch out for your heel." He smiled and kicked up a cloud of dirt which clouded Clarisse's eyes, making her flinch back and cough. Frank however just went straight for the strike. Kicking out at the back of her right leg, making her fall back. But to just make sure his blade ran across her palm making her drop her weapon before he put the point of it at her throat, laughing softly as he froze in his pose. "You need to work on your defences dear cousin." He smiled and held out a hand to pull her up which she accepted reluctantly and was hauled to her feet.

As she stood he pulled her close and kissed her head in a blessing. Smiling brilliantly down at her in deep love and care.

She frowned and looked over him. "I don't know whether to believe the stories or not about you. Whether Father really did dip you in the Styx when you were born. You fight like a god and think like Athena." She grinned coldly, watching him blush slightly and shrug.  
"It's just fighting... it's in my blood as well as yours. It just comes so naturally that sometimes I don't even realise I'm fighting till the battle is over and there's someone on the end of my sword."  
"Sounds as expectant as ever." A new voice laughed.

Both turned surprised as they watched an armoured boy slowly climb over the rocks. A smile attached to his face as he regarded Frank's pose of strength.

The boy's blond hair glinted in the sunlight, as did the pale stretch of a scar which ran down his face. The Aura's would have scolded themselves for missing such a sight as the boy. He was a tall, handsome young man who was regarded widely across the far seas and lands with trust and the blessing of the goddess Athena herself. His mind and imagination had no limits of his plans. The only thing which stopped him from leaving so far was the love and care of his wife back home; Thalia, the love and owner of his heart completely. But with his short-cropped sandy blonde hair, blue eyes, an athletic and muscular build, the singles of Greece still found themselves envious of the fact Thalia had got her hands on him and was now married happily.

Frank pushed his sword into his belt and let a friendly smile pass over his face. "Luke!" He called out, watching the blond come to him and take his hand before pulling him close for a hug. "My war brother." He smiled confidently before taking a step back. "It has been a while." Frank smiled and admitted quietly. Watching the way Clarisse had took a defensive position behind him.  
"It certainly has." Luke smiled, rubbing his chin, noting himself to shave the oncoming stubble later. His thick armour was tightly caressed into his body shape. His legs were strong and battered with small defined scars, just as his arms and hands were. "I see you have grown well my friend." He turned his eyes over to Clarisse who was still set in caution. "I saw you fighting. You certainly have improved greatly. It's a wonder the Queen hasn't signed you up into the elite army."

Clarisse froze as the words washed over her. Her eyes sparkling slightly at the thought.

Frank just chuckled. "Save your manipulating words for else where Luke. What brings you here on this day." The tall dark haired boy folded his arms with a smiling smirk watching his friend just grin.  
"Who says it's business? Maybe I'm just here to visit an old friend who I care deeply about." Luke let a hand rest on his hip as he stared deeply into Frank's eyes. Watching the amusement play out as the words simply fell off him as the boy rose a questioning eyebrow. "Okay, okay. The Queen has sent me directly... there is some business which even the gods deem dangerous to talk about."  
"Such as?" Frank lent against the ruined remains of a pillar which Clarisse had obliterated in her strike. He took a long swig of water before tossing the full pouch to Luke who gratefully drank.  
"A war. A war that will be regarded across the entire world's history. A force which would never be forgotten, only remembered throughout the entire of history. In thousand of years to come. Every soldier who fights will be regarded into Elysium as eternal fighters."  
"We must join!" Clarisse exclaimed. Her eyes wide with the idea of blood lust at the fight.  
"No." Frank said simply. Turning away and walking towards the edge of the cliff where a pouch for his sword resided. "I have no intention of fighting a Queen's war."  
"This is going to be more than just a war my dear friend." Luke's sparkling white smile burned through the air. "This will be writing in the pages of history. Weaving the lines of fate. We will be as powerful as the gods!"  
"One question."

Frank leaned down, pouring some water over his hot face and letting it slowly run down his chest and line through his lightly tanned abs. "What caused such a blistering force, that Queen Piper would mound every force in her entire army."  
"It seems that the Spartan Queen Annabeth." He said the name fondly with memory of the girl. "Signed a treaty with Troy. But during her hospitality." He coughed for a moment as he blushed at the knowledge of what happened. "It seems that the Trojan Prince Nico, took her future lover Percy as his own. The Queen was outraged and said that they disgraced all of Sparta. By embarrassing her in such a way, she went to Queen Piper who now has decided that she would use her force to go and retrieve the boy to give him back to Annabeth."  
"Ha!" Clarisse laughed. Even her knowing the true intentions of mounting a force like that. "By the gods! What a load of Chimera droppings!"

Frank gave a small smile at the girl. "The Queen found her excuse to finally launch a force at Troy... and now she's not losing the opportunity to take Troy back as her own... with Troy she would be invincible among us mortal men." He nodded quietly to himself. "But I will not fight." He turned away finding Luke and Clarisse fell quickly into conversation among themselves.

All the while he took a stroll along the cliff. His hands resting on his sides as he stared out across the sea. Watching how the beautiful waves crashed elegantly along the shore line and along the ripping of the cliff.

He wasn't surprised to see a woman sitting along the side of the cliff. Her eyes were calm and set like his. Both shared the beautiful dark colour hair and skin tone. She was tall yet curvy in her skinny body. Her wide gown flowed outed around her as her hand held onto a emerald. Her fingers grazing it as it slowly began to shape to her will. "I've made you a necklace" She smiled sweetly looking over at him with deeply fond eyes.

Frank couldn't help but let the smile spread across his face as he watched the form of his mother work. Her kindness was infectious as was her strong strength. Her form absolute in calm greatness. A soldier made immortal on her fall in the battle field after fending off the temple of Ares from being attacked by Athenians. "You used to love it when I made these." Her voice was so soft as it looked like her skin glowed faintly.  
"The messenger seems to have brought a request I cannot deny." He sighed softly and stared across the expanse of the horizon as the sun was still rising in it's early dawn. His mothers paused for a second, matching his stare at the horizon as though she was looking through a thick veil of mist. "What will happen if I go to fight in Troy." He asked quietly, watching the way his mother stared sadly.  
"If you _don't _go to fight in Troy... you will become a king of your own country and city. You will grow old as a hero. Admired by many. You will not find true love but settle to produce an heir you would find on the street." She looked at the ground sadly. "They will remember you." She nodded sadly. "And your Grand children will remember you and praise you." She closed her eyes. "But you will be forgotten. Your name lost like a leaf in the breeze."  
"And if I fight in Troy?" Frank wondered.  
"You will find true love in the most unexpected of times. You will fight and grow into a stronger warrior than anyone would have ever expected. Your name will be painted through the pages of history and you will never be forgotten. In a thousand years they would still talk of the amazing story which was your battle." She let out a long pained sigh.  
"But?" Frank frowned slightly. Bewitched by the thought of his name living on for so long. He would find his true love? He would finally find the one he was meant to be with?  
"You will die." His mother said quietly.

With that Frank turned and stared out across the cliff. Watching the sun rise into view. Shinning it's precious light across his face.

_**-Meanwhile-**_

Bianca paced the ship as the sea breeze rushed over her. Still the memory of what happened when trying to leave the bay plagued her head. What had happened? Why had the Queen been so enraged by them?

The sea roared next to them as the oars ploughed through the water. Dragging the ship along with a might new breeze which had smashed the sail forward, pulling the boat with a great speed. "It seems Poseidon favours our voyage."

She looked over to the side to see Nico in his blue robe and black silk shorts. His toned chest exposed as the azure colour resembled the ocean's beauty to a tee. "Indeed." Bianca nodded slowly. Looking over at her brother carefully. Watching the way something lingered in his eyes. His olive skin was pale. His body tensed and ready to spring immediately as though he was expecting an attack at any second. _What is wrong with him? _She kept wondering. He had spent all his time over the last few days beneath deck. Always careful and cautious as to what he was doing... as though he had some kind of unknown secret.

Finally he turned and looked at her. His eyes beyond exhaustion and sadness. Drowned with fear and apprehension as to what he had done. "Would you still love me as a brother. Would you still love me? Would you still count me as family and as your brother?"  
"Nico what is wrong? You will always be my brother." She moved, the lower matching half of her turquoise skirt flowed in the air. "Tell me, what plagues your mind with such worry and pain?"  
"I-I." The Prince stuttered and turned his gaze to the ground before turning on the spot and closings his fists tight. His eyes hard set on the ground as he ground his teeth together. His chest tight with a river of fear. "Follow me." He whispered and set the pace to go down into the bottom of the deck.

They wound down the steps. Going deeper and deeper to the point Bianca found herself more surprised at how many levels there were to the ship. "Nico dear, please just tell me. What is wrong? What has happened-"

But she fell silent as Nico came to a stop next to the storage room.

He opened the door slowly and Bianca set her eyes on a white cloaked figure. _No. _She thought in horror as her stomach twisted violently. Her palms sweating at what the thought was. _By the gods. Please do not let this be what I think it is. _She pleaded and watched the figure rise as Nico took a dominant stance next to it.

The hood slowly came down to reveal Annabeth's prized Percy.

Her eyes flared and her hands clenched tighter than the jaws of Scylla on one of her prey. Her eyes moved like the darkest and most vile shadows of blackness. Her rage beginning to flow as the shadows on the walls swam and merged together.

Her gaze burned through Nico who lowered his head. "Nico saved me from the prison which was Sparta." Percy said softly. His eyes shamefully moving through her. Those sparkling beautiful eyes which could have tamed a god... but Bianca wasn't a god. She was a Princess of Troy. A loyal soldier who would protect her city no matter what costs may come and hurt her or her lover.  
"You fool." Bianca snarled. She turned sharply and stormed up the steps. Nico's wide eyes full of pain and shame. Running up the stairs after his sister as she pounded onto the deck. All shadows in the sunlight turned darker around her as she seemed to radiate the most coldest and darkest of auras. Her rage painfully large as she couldn't even look at her little brother. _By the gods! WHAT HAS HE DONE! _Her thoughts screamed.

She locked her eyes on Reyna and Jason as the held, both suddenly wide eyed and all joking manner gone as she approached them. Her eyes churned like an endless pit. She could feel a fire in her gut as she was lost among an irate nature. "TURNS US AROUND!" She shouted with a growl. "BACK TO SPARTA!" She slammed her hands down on the side of the boat and let her glare pour out into the see as the sun above us turned just a little bit darker, like a cloud had passed over them, but the sky was completely clear. "Man the sail!" Reyna called out. Her eyes locked onto the heaving and convulsing Bianca who seemed but a few seconds short of busting the side of the ship open.

Nico trembled next to her. His eyes wide with fear as he watched the rage of his sister. He had only ever seen her like this once. When an ambush had been made on the castle and Nico had nearly been taken down in an assassination.

He timidly moved and shuffled his weight on his feet. Finally looking up to his sister he felt some courage course through him as Aphrodite stood silent from the breeze. Giving the confidence in slow amounts. "W-Wait! Wait!"

Bianca turned viciously on him. Her gaze growing darker and darker by the second as she barred her teeth. "You fool." She growled quietly.  
"Wait. L-Listen to me-"

He was cut short as she shoved him back slightly, making him stumble over a plank board. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" She barked furiously.

Nico stood quiet and sentient, looking quietly at her for a minute before lowering her gaze.

Bianca stood strong over him. Looking down at her brother with shadow shifting eyes. "Do you know how long our Mother has worked for peace!"

Nico slowly lowered his gaze and shuffled his feet again. Before raising his thoughtful look. "B-But I love him."  
"Oh!" Bianca snarled and took a step back, staring out at the sea. Trying to desperately find something which would calm her down. "What is this for you!?" She shouted, earning the gaze of each sailor before Jason and Reyna put them back to work rowing. "A great game?" She towered over him, her fury more raging than any dark creature of any story Nico had heard. "You come around the city. Looking between Jason, Will and others! Your eyes set on only one! Not caring for anyone but your own needs!" Her voice rose in rage with each angered word.

Nico could only look at the floorboards and feel himself filling with more shame than anything he had felt in his life.

Bianca scoffed. "And you think you know something about love?!" Nico's gaze locked sadly with hers. "What about your mother's love! YOU DEFILED IT WHEN YOU BROUGHT HIM ONTO THIS SHIP!" She screamed. The skies above growing darker with each moment. "WHAT ABOUT THE LOVE FOR YOUR COUNTRY AND CITY! YOUR HOME GRANTED TO YOU BY THE GODS!" Her hand resting dangerously on her sword. "YOU'D SEE IT CRASH AND BURN FOR THE SAKE OF THIS ONE BOY!" She heaved out of breath. Her body flowing with such anger she could no longer compete to keep it in as all she could do was focus on her breathing. Her eyes bore into anything within sight as the world was growing colder and darker. "I will not let you start a war for him." She heaved in a quiet growl.

Nico just stared. Knowing that with each angered word, he deserved ten times more the rage from her.

Finally after a minute passed and Bianca caught her breath. "May I speak?" Nico whispered softly. Only to watch his sister tense once more as she couldn't even find it within herself to look at him. He tried to reach out and place his hand on her's but all she did was pull back and not dare meet his gaze. "What you say is... right." Nico said solemnly. "I have wronged you. I have wronged mother. I have wronged Troy." He watched Bianca's eye glanced at him for barely half a second. "And if you wish to take Percy back... then do so... but know. I will be going with him."  
"Back to Sparta?! THEY'D KILL YOU!" She shouted after taking a long heave of breath.  
"Then I'll die fighting." He said timidly.

Bianca froze immediately. Her body tense and unbearably full or rage as suddenly it spiked.

She turned slowly back on her brother. Her eyes snow bottomless pits. "Oh! And that sounds oh so noble to you. Doesn't it!" Reyna took a stance next to her. Resting an arm comfortingly on the Princess' shoulder. Her eyes sad with how much pain and betrayal was in Bianca's eyes. "To die fighting!" He hand gripped tightly onto her sword. Her head tilted slowly. "Fighting?! Tell me. Have you ever sent a man to Hades? Have you ever watched the light leave his eyes as his corpse bleeds dry? Have you heard the cries of dying men?"  
"No." Nico whispered quietly.  
"Ever seen a man die in combat?" She whispered. Her voice more menacing than when she had shouted.  
"No." He repeated.  
"I've butchered men." She said coldly. Reyna froze shocked by the girl's admission. Normally she did all she could to forget about the fights and wards she had been in. The men the Princess had sent to Hades with one strike of her sword and a gallop with her horse. "I've heard their dying cries and screams. I've heard their last words and watched them fade to the underworld. Let me tell you. There is NOTHING GLORIOUS OR NOBLE ABOUT IT!" She screamed. "Nothing worth remembering! Nothing worse devoting! You want to die for love?" She whispered. Laughing softly and shaking her head. "But you know nothing about fighting for someone! And you know nothing about true love!" She hissed.  
"I still will not leave him." Nico said quietly. His face hardened and stern. "I will not ask you to fight my war." He said even quieter, watching Bianca shake her head slowly as the sky began to return with sunlight.  
"You already have." She growled quietly and turned back to the helm where Jason stood quiet. Looking away. "To Troy!" She shouted and watched Jason obey immediately.

Turning her back and heading to the front of the ship, leaving Nico in absolute silence as to where this left him and his sister.

Aphrodite however couldn't have been happier.

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**So my little Greeks and Trojans. I hope that will hold you over for the next couple of days =) Three days before another update. By the way, if you leave a review. Just out of my own curiosity. Which side do you support. Greek or Trojans? Just wondering is all. =) Thank you all again for your amazing support! It's 20:28 here and I've been writing since 17:58 (when I got home from college.) It's a good thing I gave up my breaks today to do work so I could spend this evening writing! Love you all and hope you enjoy! ^_^**


	6. Those long days of travel on the sea

_**Hi! Thank you to all of you who favourited and followed this story! ^_^ Thank you again to **_**_Quinn Lexington and XXTheBookWormXX and _****_David-El _****_for your reviews/messages. _**_**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are, my little Trojans and Greeks =) I may tweak a few things during the war. Please don't hate me for it but I'm not sure I can break apart Percy and Nico when the end of the story comes. Warning: story contains BoyxBoy (don't like, then don't read), swearing, scenes of extreme violence and ratings may be turned up at a later time. I know I promised an earlier update, but I've just had some bad news... and it's hard to deal with. But don't worry, I'll keep my writing going as strong as I can! But I will only be updating on a weekly basis.**_

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_**-A week previously-**_

Nico stared up at the ceiling of the ship above him as His hammock shook slightly on the lowest two posts of the entire deck. The nearby torch cast long and lengthy shadows around the long, abandoned, nearly empty cargo hold. He had decided quickly to stay out of the way of his sister or the others who were murmuring beneath their breath about the news of him having, '_abducted' _Percy. Is that how people would remember him now? The Prince of Troy who kidnapped the lover of another ruler? They wouldn't recognise the truth of history that he and Percy loved each other? Would the name of his family be dragged through the mud? Would Bianca, Hazel and his dear mother really have to pay for what's happened?

That was about the same time that he had fled, feeling sick to his stomach after emptying the contents over the side.

He was sure Poseidon would hold that against him later...

A soft sigh escaped into the air next to him as the bare form of Percy was covered by a thin blanket. Hiding the entanglement of their limbs which had become them now that they were pressed so much against each other. Nico had only tore his gaze away from the sleeping beauty which was Percy for the sake of his overwhelming ocean of thoughts. Had what he done, truly been the best thing? Saving the sake of one for putting the sake of thousands and hundreds more at risk? He had always been taught from a young age that above all else, especially as a prince. Service to his country was what mattered and was supposed to prevail above anything else. When he took a lover, that would only account for a small part of himself and his life. He was to fixate and care only on the city which he was raised in. His love was supposed to be unconditional and his drive to protect it, hereditary.

He had gone against all that when he had taken Percy in his bed chamber.

"Are you still awake." Nico whispered as Percy tensed against the strong toned comfort which was the Prince's chest.

Percy hadn't felt so content in his entire life. The hell and imprisonment which had been his life all those years ago were all melting away the more the sea carried him faster and faster away to his new home.

The hammock swayed softly as he could feel the sea and ocean beneath him. The waves rolling up against the strong wood, trying to reach out and hold him, always careful to never rock him too hard. It reminded him so much of the way that his mother used to hold him when she would sing to him as a small boy. "You know. You could have told me you knew I was awake so I could have saved my self a lot of pretend snoring time." Percy murmured and let his eyes flutter open. He gave a soft yawn and Nico smiled down at the boy's reverent beauty. He truly was a gift only equal to something Aphrodite could create.  
"I guess I just didn't have it inside of me to disturb you." The Prince admitted quietly staring through the floor boards and watching how the moon high above them cast a silver glow, even at their depth in the ship. Nico's brows were knitted together as he hadn't once said the thought which was really plaguing his mind. The thoughts which wouldn't allow him to get some sleep. "Are you still thinking about what happened?" Percy slowly shifted himself so he was laid directly onto Nico's chest, resting his head down on the toned muscle as well as his own arms. His spiked of his hair fell down over the side of his face as he watched Nico closely for any reaction, wondering if he had stepped too far.

But the Prince just sighed exhausted and nodded, not meeting Percy's gaze.

"It's fine... your sister just needed to go and plan ahead is all." He suggested, trying to figure out how to comfort Nico.

But the boy was just too distracted by it. Percy could tell by the way that he had reacted and from the shouting he had heard bellow deck, just how closely that Nico and his sister had been. The hurt that Nico carried in the pits of his dark eyes and tried to hide behind a smile. The way the Prince's shoulders were set back heavily a bit pained, like the greatest weight had been set upon them. But when Nico had returned back up on deck once again with Percy to try and just explain how much in love he and the Percy were. The blond guard... Percy thought his name was... Jack, Jason? One of those two. He had been too distracted by Nico's pained eyes and the sudden collective force of darkening clouds to really notice more.

But the fact was...

Apparently the Princess had taken a smaller and private boat away and ahead of them to get back to the city as fast as possible to let the Queen know, _if she didn't already. _Percy kept thinking in the back of his mind when the blond guard had told them. He placed a bet that Annabeth would have wasted no time in declaring an ultimatum to Troy.

But both knew that Annabeth would have already done that. The only people who wouldn't have known by the time they got back, would have been all of those on the boat, other than Percy and Nico.

So that left the truth which Nico took to his heart even more painfully than anything else that he could have have done to him at that time.

Bianca left on the boat at that moment because right then and there, she couldn't handle the fact to even look at him.

Percy had quickly sunk back into the depths of the boat with Nico after that. Only ever coming up a level to eat dinner with his guard, and even then, they would try and hide their sad, disappointed looks behind masked faces. Until on the second evening of the voyage, Nico had simply shouted at them saying for them to just speak up about how they truly felt, then stormed off. Percy had wondered why the fact that the opinion of these two specificity hurt? Okay, he had watched them gravitate quite closer to them, a lot more after Bianca had left. But his curiosity had peaked and he had started wondering more and more till eventually the next night when he told Nico he was going to go and wash his cloak and tunic, (although Nico himself insisted that he go and do it himself for Percy), Percy had just given him a kind look and placed a kiss on the sleepy Prince's lips, before heading above deck and asking Reyna and the blond boy the question, straight to their face.

The girl Reyna had just fixed Percy with a sad smile. As they sat down and took dinner together under the stars. "We're not angry at him... honestly." She had kept fumbling and adjusting her armour nervously. The blond had looked at her surprised by the way she was behaving, thereby telling Percy that the way she was acting seemed very much out of the norm. "It's just that." She paused with what she was eating and wiped her mouth eloquently. Behaviour Percy wasn't used to seeing from the normally carnivorous, sex starved, animalistic Spartans. "We have been waiting for many, many years for Nico to find love." She smiled gently over to the other boy. "Jason and I have been growing worried these last couple of years because... as you probably have guessed yourself. It's uncommon among royalty to be unmarried by our age, at least if not betrothed. For a while, we thought that he would end up marrying one of the priests from our dedicated temple's to Apollo." Reyna laughed softly when she saw Percy scowl slightly. "Wow, Eros must have shot you both pretty hard!" She shook her head slightly with a gentle smile. "But any way, when Nico announced that he had no interest in marrying Will. We grew more worried."  
"Why didn't you just accept the fact that he wasn't ready to marry?" Percy frowned deeply and looked between the two of them. "What is it with all the royals! Why are they all so insistent on marrying at a ridiculous young age! I mean honestly! Annabeth was bad enough when she was trying to get me into her bed! But Nico is actually a great guy! Why-"  
"You're right. You're right!" Reyna raised her hands quickly, her eyes growing masked with caution the more Percy's voice rose. She had heard Bianca's warning when they had first returned from the ship. But as the waves against the ship had grew more rough and violent, she had become more aware on keeping Percy calm, believing what the Princess had said.

Once Percy had grew calm again and rested back into his seat, eating into the meal. Reyna carried on speaking. "Since Nico is second in line for the throne, you're right. There should certainly be a less amount of stress put onto the subject of his marriage. But the Queen just feels as both Nico's siblings do, as we do, as all those who love him do."  
"That they should interfere in his life?" Percy said bluntly and quickly chided himself for it, though Reyna just ended up laughing out loud.  
"No. That we just want to see him happy... it's just rather sad that-" She paused under Percy's glare. Once again noting how the waves crashed violently against the side.  
"How he chose common scum like me?"  
"How he has finally found someone who loves him just as much as he loves them, and in finding that happiness, he has caused himself and those around him to be put into danger." Reyna corrected him, putting more emphasis on the beginning and whispering the last part to herself and Jason. "I just wish it could be different is all. That Nico could have you without there being such a consequence... But the Walls of Troy are strong and tall!" Reyna reached out placing her hand on Percy's comfortingly when she saw how the boy was turning drastically pale. "Troy has had many battles, and been attacked even more times than most of Greece or itself would care to mention. And yet in all of that time, there is nothing that has, or can ever bring those walls down."  
"I hope you're right." Percy turned his gaze out across the water. "For your sake. I really hope so."

_**-Present day-**_

"Oh... so you weren't kidding." He said in a small and timid voice as a thousand line cheers broke past the gates which towered up to what looked like the clouds of Zeus. The fresh dawn orange colour of the walls stood defiantly out as the height of one of the god's themselves. Their thickness could not have been scratched by an army of catapults or an onslaught from a hundred handed one.  
"That's right." Reyna smirked beneath him as she adjusted the saddle of the midnight black horse he was sat on, which seemed to be looking at him fascinated. She placed his white cloak around his shoulder and pulled the hood up slightly but making sure that his beautiful and enchanting face was still visible to any of the onlookers who were now calling out to cheer the Prince and his lover as they were to return. Percy found butterflies swarming his stomach violently as the gates to the heavens of the sky were opening further and further to reveal a growing cobble stone street. One that wound all the way up to a fortress villa palace where the royal home of the rulers of Troy rested and looked over across their Kingdom. Percy had been admiring it on the approach to the beach. "And here you doubted it, didn't you." She scoffed softly as the view of the small homes on the streets and close markets, became more fixated in Percy's view.  
_"He doubted the defence of Troy?"  
"Some future Queen huh?"  
"Hey! Back off the foal. It's not his fault he was stick with those Spartans!"  
__"Oh look, BlackJack has found himself his new little adoptive pet next to Nico." _  
"Huh did you say something?" Percy frowned and looked down at Reyna who just rose an eyebrow, looking around, but only the horses now made loud neighing sounds at each other as they threatened to rear angrily, snorting and huffing at one another.  
"No?" She rose a questioning eyebrow, reaching out and carefully touching his brow after making sure his tunic was comfortable on him. "Are you feeling okay? You've been out in the sun too long. I'll tell the guard to make sure you head straight to the palace to get some rest. Then later you can head out across the kingdom, who knows, maybe the Princess Hazel, will take you to see our temples too, since she is on more than better speaking terms with one of the priests." Reyna laughed to herself, pulling her body up onto a nearby horse which was next to Percy's. "Come on Scipio, let's escort these two love birds back to their new home." She made a clicking noise in the back of her mouth with her tongue and Scipio reared back theatrically before setting the pace for the other horses which formed a defensive front and back patrol by the two.  
"Nervous?" Nico joked, looking Percy in his eyes.

Percy just wanted to reach out and kiss Nico passionately. Those dark eyes. Ached by the pain that Bianca hadn't been there at the beach to greet them on arrival. "You have no idea." He smiled and just watched as Nico gave that soft chuckle which made Percy melt from the inside out when he listened.  
"Well they're going to love you, about as almost as much as I love you."  
"Almost?" Percy grinned.  
"Well, if they loved you about as much as I loved you. Then I would for one: be very jealous, and two, astounded that, that would be even possible. Because I will never love you any less than any one has ever loved anyone in the entirety of Greece." Nico whispered, leaning in to extend and pull back one long last kiss as the people set eyes on their side by side horses.  
"So Percy, my future Queen. The one I will live by all my days of my life. The one who without I would kill myself for. Are you ready to meet my mother and siblings?"  
"I think I'm more scared right now, than I was when I was in Sparta." He joked and smiled out towards the crowd of people as they cheered seeing their two new, royal lovers.

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_**I'm sorry this has taken longer than thought, but better it having taken longer than not been as good, right? Anyway, thanks again to all of you, my little Trojans and Greeks! See you next week for the next update! Have a lovely week and keep smiling =)**_

_**Next time, in, The Apple of my eye: Percy begins to settle into his new life inside the walls of Troy, but when one morning, he awakes to the strange sound of bells, echoing across the whole kingdom, and Nico is pale at his side, staring with horror across the sea line. Percy begins to realise why and what has happened, the collected force of Greece has come to attack and it's all because of his escapee to freedom.**_


	7. Tortured dreams

_**Hi! Thank you to all of you who favourited and followed this story! ^_^ Thank you again to **_**_Quinn Lexington and XXTheBookWormXX_****_for your reviews. _**_**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are, my little Trojans and Greeks =) **_

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_**-Percy's Pov-**_

"HELLO!" He called out.

He blinked a couple of times as the grey scale of everything came to settle in front of him. It was as though he was zooming madly over a wild forest, weaving and diving in and out of trees.

The world seemed to move by so slowly now. Everything was new and felt different. The tree's bore a new light and life of emerald which seemed to present itself to him as it flashed between a burst of life and a deepening grey. The world was bright and so dark, the flower blossomed and rose out the ground in a spectrum of new colours before frosting over with a storm of grey. The sky tore itself open to let sunshine pour down in spiked kisses before it burned with the down pour of rain and cold frost. What the hell is this place.

Percy looked for any indication of life or settlement as the world blurred by around him.

It only stopped when he came to the edge of a clearing and stared in front of him as the only bit of the world which kept colour; a crystal clear lake.

He slowly looked around. He was stood at the very edge of the water. He frowned at the intense aching which still persisted through him. "Nico? Reyna? Jason?" He called out, looking around for any sign of anyone else. No light made it's way into the everlasting and expanding darkness. The only light seemed to come from the water nearby as the world settled into a contrast of burning grey. His jaw was set tight and so were his shoulder in a tense manner. His eyes watched the glinting surface of the water for any ripples. All he could do was stare at the intense turquoise brilliance of light which drew him closer like a moth to a flame. Not even the heavenly trees around him which burst with fresh and red lustrous alluring food.

But only the water was what drew him.

As he came even closer to the water's edge he began to slowly crouch. He could feel his entire body becoming tense as it wanted to lock in place... but something was controlling him. He knew he just couldn't refuse this alluring presence. It seemed to captivate him whole.

_"Good Perseus" _

The wind rippled through the area, tackling and moving through Percy. _"Go to it." _

But when his hand curled around the edge of the water he felt the bitter sting of sharp rocks digging through his alluring, beautiful, Aphrodite graced, sun kissed skin, drawing blood. The harsh stone underline spiked through his entire nails and fingers.

Percy knew already that this beautiful rose which was so full of beautiful light.

It had sharp thorns.

He winced but couldn't move his hands as the blood began to spread through the light of the water... but he wished at that moment, him bleeding was not the strangest thing that was going on, because as he stared at the reflection... it was almost as though he was staring at a complete other version of himself till he watch the eyes turn pitch black. _"Hmm.. yes your Prince Perseus." _The voice continued knowingly.

He gazed over the face which was the most beautiful thing in creation... at least to him anyway. Deep, dark eyes stared back up at him... as though they had been bathed deeply in shadows and darkness. Everything about the reflection was beautiful! The glistening black hair. The chiselled strong body which looked perfectly sculpted. Everything he had ever idealised about Nico, with the exception of the scowl that rested upon his face. But this was not the boy he loved. This was not the same person! There was no accuracy of the way the soft dark hair moved. The way that the real Nico moved his lip up ever so slightly as he would look at someone. No look of broken loneliness. No look of loving care which the two had shared with every single moment that they had been huddled together. No deep exhaustion lining the circle of his beautiful eyes.

Everything which showed just how strong and amazing Nico was.

How ever the reflection looked up at him with a deep sense of waiting and expectation as though it was waiting for his acknowledgement. "Pe-Perfect?" Percy whispered with caution. He knew he had probably one chance at getting this right, he couldn't mess this up. As his blood spread through the water the reflection nodded as though this was the answer he had been waiting for. He reached out to touch the rippling surface and just before he could touch the cool, beautiful water. Trying to take the hand of his lover which was beneath the surface.

The reflection's face turned up in a dark grin. "Welcome." It smirked.

"What?" Percy stared with wide eyes but as he tried to pull his bleeding hand back, the water itself surged up and wrapped around his arm as it took the shape of a pale hand. The beautiful face of his love becoming increasingly distorted as it writhed, shaking rapidly side to side as though it was a wet dog, shaking water from it's fur.

The black hair of Nico's hair blurred blond as the reflection blurred constantly between the face of two people.

One love of his life who freed him.

And the one who kept him incarcerated.

But still, Annabeth's sneer held the most dominant feature over the two faces.

He wanted to let out a scream as the water itself seemed to sink into his bones as it burnt viciously. How could water burn?! Especially him! He had always loved the water! He was a descendant of the priests of Poseidon! (Had he not known what other heritage he truly possessed), how could water betray him like this! "STOP IT!" He tried pulling back quickly but the water had him in a vice lock. He couldn't move! He was desperate to try and pull back. But the darkness around him was becoming solid as it became towering walls. "There's no escape. Sit back and enjoy the show." The two faces bellowed with laughter.

He stopped at that and the figure grinned deeper as it got a greater chance and pulled him into the water.

It felt as though the whole world in front of him began to drain away till nothing was left but a swirling mess off emotions and rolling darkness.

What was this? Was this still him? Where was up? Where was down? Was he still in the real world or was this some strange dream?

He should have considered it lucky if it had been a dream.

The first bit of colour came back to him when he saw a fast approaching tide of crimson, which began to lunge at him. Rolling over itself in a growing tsunami of relentlessness dominance. "Oh please... you think a bit of water can stop me?" He slowly raised his hand and smirked confidently, though fear exploded throughout the entire of his body, his poker face of trying to hide his nerves was working as the tide neared. He was the descendant of water. He was the last subject of Poseidon's lost city. _"Good Perseus. State your dominance. Stand by your choice."_

He focused his full intent onto it to divert it. This had to be a dream. It couldn't really be anything else. This had to be just something going on in his mind.

That meant he had control.

"You think you can stop me?!" He trembled as a feeling exploded through his gut. His hands shaking as they felt the heavy weight of what was in front of him.

The tide got closer.

_You can do this Perseus. _A voice whispered in the back of his mind.

He paused for a moment, his hair flying about wildly as the force of a storm came behind the tide of blood and hit him square in the face. _I know you can do it my love.  
_"Mom." He whispered and looked around the darkness for any sign of light which would be her. Her face. Her body... no.

He raised both palms and exerted his will out onto the red tide.

Still nothing happened. Only a voice in his head whispered: "_Run."  
_"Damn it!"

He turned at the last second and legged it before he could be washed into that raging mess of crimson. It coursed away into rapids and swirled violently behind him as though it could think of nothing else but to make him part of it. _Run Perseus. After all. You brought this on yourself. Your decision._

In what felt like split seconds he saw the hands reaching out from the crimson tide, trying to grab hold of him. "What the Hades?!" He barked as he kept sprinting through the expanding darkness.

The darkness constantly peeled away, leaving him to fall against the hammock of the ship where he and Nico had slept. Changing to the cliffs where the guards had found him. Cornering him back to Annabeth's palace, then ripping back into the endless blackness in a constant and taunting lure. Each time he repeated through the cycle, never having stopped, he found the tide was getting closer. His exhaustion getting thicker. _This is your punishment Boy. You dishonoured the name of my daughter and her mission of accomplishment in Sparta. You will pay child. _The voice growled in a snarl.

But the thing about water or blood: You can't outrun it forever.

Just as he pounded back through the darkness, sweat beading his brow as his hair was plastered down to his brow. His body slowing down further and further. No longer was there the comforting voice of his mother. No longer was there that confident voice he had heard back in the clearing. Only that cold laughter of a new voice. The strange gloating voice of the woman as finally he stumbled.

Giving the dream the chance it wanted to have.

And Athena the gloating satisfaction she craved.

One hand of the tide got lucky and wrapped around his ankle.

The moment it touched the exposed skin,he felt pain barrel through his entire body. It was like having boiling water tipped over you all at once. Every nerve in his body was ignited indescribably. His agonised scream filling the air as the tide splashed over his head and filled his mouth.

That's when he realised. It wasn't water.

It was blood.

The sickening metallic taste filled his mouth as he could feel his body beginning to flail and writhe in agony as he lost control.

It drilled into his neck as he couldn't do anything but let it continue wrapping around him and cocoon me. He couldn't even scream.

Having even the most basic expression of agony taken away from him. He wanted it to stop. He wanted it to end and never return.

It seemed to stretch on for what felt like hours. Days. Months. But in reality it was nothing more than a few seconds.

_You dare bring shame to a child of mine. _The voice of the secret goddess bellowed coldly. _Your very life is an anger to me. Only the affections of my daughter kept you alive. Now you have severed that tie... and I will make sure you pay._

The ball off blood which he was sealed in, swirled violently, swirling him violently. All air was choked out of his lungs as everything became completely and utterly uncomprehending to Percy. Why wasn't this nightmare falling apart! This would be the point where he would wake up! _Please! Someone! Save ME! _He screamed loudly in his head.

With a loud roar of thunder above him, the blood erupted apart as he fell harshly to the ground in a raining storm. The heavy tide pouring over his head heavily as he heaved for any breath. His white tunic now as stained as his skin. His cloak was plastered down to his body. His sobs broke out and escaped as he could no longer take this beating. How could a nightmare do this to him? _T-Thank you. _He thought in the back of his mind as he felt something swish past him momentarily. The familiar scent of a sea breeze.

_Poseidon? _

Percy was thankful for barely the few seconds before he reached out to find some grip on the ground and his fingers curled around the warm and oozing feeling of something which very much so resembled the feeling of a leg.

Lifting his gaze slowly, he felt a scream build in his chest, but break as the fear would not allow it to come out.

In front of him was an endless desert which resembled a dead meadow. The grass had died away to leave endless cracks along the rocky and uneven terrain. The colour was painted crimson with the hundreds of thousands, if not millions of bodies of leaking dead Greeks and Trojans.

Decapitated, destroyed, obliterated, ripped to pieces.

the booming voice of the woman returned with much more force._"You will have to live with this boy." _The voice gloated with an underline smugness. It passed around him as Percy's body convulsed at the sight of the blood drained sky and obliterated ruins of walls around him. The field of dead bodies were endless onto the horizon. Tainting the sea. _"This is all down to you."_

Finally he turned his gaze up as the figure began to weave itself out of the air. A long and perfect white silk dress dragging over the lining of dead bodies as peach porcelain skin formed and a strong grip, curled like a vice around his chin. Forcing him to gaze up into the grey eyed face and ear to ear grinning grey gaze of the most horrific dark woman he had seen. She was beautiful, he guessed, but by the gods on Olympus she was the most cold one that he had ever seen. Even among the depicted legends and stories around the many cities of Greece... this woman seemed to be the most cold. _"You started something that will now cost the lives of many. It will mean many women and men will be left widows. Many children... those who survive at least. Will be left Orphans. Without siblings. Alone. All because of you and your lover." _Her hair fell in a curled curtain down the side of her face as she gave a smile which would bewitch most men... at least those who fell for women at least.

Then he did the thing which he really shouldn't have...

He spat in her face.

The goddess flinched back and sneered darkly. Wiping her fae and eye as her grip moved to his neck. _"I may not be able to kill you yet. But do not enjoy yourself for much longer. Perseus of Sparta." _The way she spoke sent cold shivers down Percy's spine. _"Because this war will be a quick one. That I promise you!" _

But as she began to lift the boy off his ground by the grip on his neck.

The blood around them began to churn violently slowly turning turquoise. _"I best do this quick. You are no Trojan. You do not belong in Troy. I will make sure you remember that!"_

With that she vanished and Percy fell to the ground. Writhing in agony as he gripped onto his wrist.

_Percy! _A voice echoed around him.

All he could do was keep writhing on the ground.

_PERCY!_

_**-End of dream-**_

"PERCY!"

Jason lunged forward as he watched the boy fell from the bed where he had been levitating from, barely a few seconds before. All water in the room having lifted with his body as the boy screamed and writhed. Clutching his own neck then moving to holding his wrist. His ink hair moving through the air as though he was submerged completely beneath the waves of the sea. "Percy!"

Jason lunged forward through the air with unnatural agility and sprung to the side of the bed, catching the boy as he came crashing back down and fell into his embrace as both sank onto the collage marble floor. The sun kissed boy convulsed, his eyes held tightly shut as he just seemed to be doing as hard as he could to stop himself from screaming.

Jason just pulled him close as possible to his chest, just like when he had been young and guarding Prince Nico, the prince had often woken up with nightmares of some dark world. That's all Jason had ever been able to get out of him. However he had often learnt a way to often calm him. A song he had heard when he was a toddler. When he had through the many cities of Greece with chains on his wrist. All that long time ago before his sister had on one cold night, sang him to sleep. His dark haired older sister who he presumed was dead now.

She had sung him to sleep as she cried... before she had smuggled him onto a merchant's ship which had been bound for Troy.

From there, Nico had found Jason on the street after some other boys had mugged him. He had taken him back to the palace and hidden him in his chambers, till his mother had found out and from there she had offered him a room. But Jason found himself unable to do anything less than just find some way to repay back the life debt of eternal servitude. He would protect Nico through every moment of his life. He would make sure the Prince would always be happy and safe. He would make sure that absolutely no harm would ever come to him.

He would give his life to save Nico.

And if Nico was now in love with Percy? Devoted heart and soul to him? Then that meant that Jason would protect him as well.

_"Rolling hills and sun lit sky." _He began to sing in a soft voice as he cradled Percy close. Not noticing the way his clothes were stained and still dripping with blood. _"Apollo smiles as he rides by. Poseidon rises his trident high." _He hardly noticed how a soft breeze and flow of winds began to flow through the open room at the summit of the palace where Nico's and Percy's chambers resided. The breeze caressed around Percy's heated face. Jason moved his hand comfortingly across the boy's back and sat him up gently as Percy's writhing began to soften.

The water in the room spilled back into it's areas: the goblets, the pool, the baths. Jason would have to deal with the reasoning of that later. But right now he watched how an burning emblem blazed on Percy's wrist. _"We all smile as Zeus rushes by. Demeter and Persephone dance in the field. We all pray the day does not yield. Artemis awakens for her new hunt. So now is time to rest, and ease my little cub." _He kept singing it back and over softly as he watched how Percy finally began to ease slightly. The boy's eyes beginning to flutter open softly as he looked around with confusion. "Oh no you don't. Not just yet anyway." Jason smiled softly and let his softly tanned hand brush over Percy's forehead, dabbing droplets of water before holding a small goblet of water to the smaller boy's mouth. "Soft and small sips." He instructed strictly and watched the colour come back to Percy's pale face rather instantly... very much rather quickly, he observed.

When he was finally satisfied with the fact that Percy had calmed down enough, and he looked far more settled than he had in his frenzy, but a few minutes before. He gently sat the other boy up, making sure to keep his strong hands on the boy's shoulders to steady him, but putting down a light pressure in a warning that he shouldn't stand up just yet. "Uh... where am I?" Percy wondered for a moment as his large sea green eyes took in the sight of the exceedingly large room around him.

It was uncanny just how much it resembled his own chambers back in Sparta. Either Annabeth had known about the Prince's quarters ahead of time. Or there was just a coincidence by the fates. The only major difference was the size of the room, and the large marble sculptures which were decorated around it.  
"You're in the Palace. Before you reached the entrance, you fell off your steed and passed out from dehydration. Prince Nico nearly got into a fight with me and Reyna, about carrying you back to the room and making sure you was okay... but it seems, that there is a situation which required the Prince immediately." Jason turned his sky blue eyes away as the sun glistened over him.

Allowing Percy for the first time to get a full and clear sight at the boy.

Jason was very much what Percy had seen with the Spartans... in his body at least. He was well toned and massaged his skin in oil. It was a soft and very light tanned colour, probably from the amount of hours that he spent outside under the sun training. He wore only one piece of clothing which was a drape of white linen which held the golden emblem and insignia of Troy. It fell around his body, exposing his strong toned muscle arms. It stopped just short about halfway down to his knees. Other than that and a few strong braces of his armour on his wrists, he resided himself into some sandals. He was blonde... not blond like Annabeth. His hair was a soft gold. His eye were like the sky on the clearest of summer days. He certainly was handsome... but Percy's heart only resided for Nico.

him though, however. Unlike the Spartans, he seemed to have a well balance stance to himself as he gently kept dabbing cold water over Percy's head. Keeping the boy cool as he could. He was in the perfect situation to take Percy. Many of the Spartans would have, if they had been in Jason's situation. He was in the most brilliant positions, and yet, he was showing him kindness. His eyes seemed like that of the guards who used to look after Percy and his mother when he was young... actually, in a way they seemed to resemble Percy's mother. They seemed so full of kindness. Deep and true.

Percy had learnt quite quickly in Sparta to distinguish the difference between those with true kindness and those without. Mainly because in Sparta, many lacked the truth of honour, and were nothing more than trained and vicious horny dogs.

Jason however... his eyes, they were so distinguished. His body language so set and protective. It made Percy feel a bit more comfortable and relaxed against the situation he was in.

Something drew Percy's eyes though.

Jason drew his hand to the small scar on his upper lip as he watched Percy's gaze shift over him. Internally he was rather amused, but he knew what came next. "How did you get that scar." Percy wondered.  
"A story for later." He smiled, watching how Percy pouted. Yeah. Jason could see how Nico had fallen for this boy. He was pretty adorable. But just as Nico was loyal to Percy. Jason would always find himself loyal eternally to Reyna. "Now, are you feeling okay?"  
"How long was I out for?" Percy avoided the question, not much to Jason observation as he rose a questioning eyebrow.  
"Don't make me call Reyna up here." He grinned, watching how Percy's eyes widened. "Because she probably is a lot more to the point than me."  
"Meanie." Percy stuck his tongue out.  
"I like to think of it more as caring." Jason chuckled heartedly, ruffling Percy's inky hair, then pulling back his hand as he watched how a thick coat of crimson hung to it. "Excuse me... but is this-"  
"Not mine." Percy whispered, pulling his knees close to his chest. His eyes darted to a nearby pool of water, reprehensibly watching it as he remembered the features of the dream. The way that the tide of blood had followed him and caused him complete agony.  
"Come on." Jason quickly lifted the boy up in his arms, giving Percy no time to object as he carried him over to the shallow pool of water and sat the boy down into it's cold and caressing feel.

Not without Percy for a second, trying to flee his arms in a frantic panic. "Easy." Jason cooed gently as he soothed his hand on the boy's back. "The water will help."

And it did.

The moment Percy sat into the water, he let a soft sigh escape out of him as he sank back and propped himself up so his head lounged back into the cold turquoise of it. "Told you." Jason smiled gently as he watched the way Percy just laid back and bathed into the cool of it. "Now, why don't we get those... dirty clothes off you." He quickly turned his back as he placed a pile of clothes next to the edge of the bath and moved away to a distance and part of the room which would make Percy feel more secure about changing.  
"T-Thanks." The smaller boy's voice came back to him.  
"No problem. Now. Here's the facts. You've been asleep for three days."

Percy suddenly shot up a little at that. "Three days?!" He said under his breath, staring out the distance of the room and across the various kingdom bellow him. He had a perfect sight from here. The room gave a whole circle sight of the world around him. The distance sea and beach directly in front of him, with the descending roads into the kingdom. It was a nice sight... calming mostly. Though Percy found he couldn't describe why. "Yes. The Prince was the second one to have to be calmed down about you passing out."  
"Second?" Percy rose an eyebrow.  
"It seems your horse has taken a shine to you. It was quite furious about letting anyone other than you close to care for you... I thought Prince Nico was going to have fire come out of his eyes." Jason joked.

Percy pried the clothes off his skin as the blood had started to dry out. It hurt slightly as it clung so tightly to him from the blood, but he managed eventually to get it off.

He hardly noticed that with each passing minute in the water he seemed to glow with radiance and life instead of the pale, exhausted dehydration he had but a few seconds before. He stood shakily and pulled on the clothing Jason had passed him. It resembled Jason's down to a tee almost. Linen cloth, moving from a single clip on his shoulder, down across half his torso and halfway down to his knees. A pair of sandals which were lined with a few pieces of cloth to make it easier on his feet for walking. But the only main difference between the tunic which Jason had given him? Percy's tunic was a deep sea blue colour with trimmings of turquoise. The emerald clip had an engraving emblem of Troy.

That brought a smile to Percy's face.

"Thanks Jason." He said quietly, moving across the room towards him, pausing suddenly as something caught his eyes on the length and inside of his right forearm. "What the-" He frowned as he looked at the length of a black detailed and pointed trident symbol had seared itself into his arm. At first he tried wiping it away, going back to the water to scrub it till the skin turned red and Jason's hand clamped around his wrist. But it became quite apparent, that it was certainly most permanent and there to stay. "It seems there is someone who is very much so not with you and certainly looking to go against you." Jason frowned for a moment before turning his gaze up to Percy, his eyes having lingered on the trident. "This stays between us." Jason said quietly, loosening his right brace enough that Percy caught a small sight of a thunderbolt brand. It was certainly enough like his but the way Jason looked, it certainly didn't encourage him that it was anything good. "We keep this as our small little secret." He beamed. His eyes glistening with hope and what looked like him being relieved. "Finally. I never thought I'd meet another."  
"Another what." Percy frowned himself as Jason placed two golden length bands along the length of Percy's arms, evening them out to make it look more natural.  
"Well. Another De-"  
_**BOOM**_

Both instantly froze and Percy flinched back in surprise at the sudden noise as it echoed loudly and banged through his ears. "By the gods! What in the Hades was-"  
_**BOOM**_

Jason had paled and turned his eyes towards the horizon. Taking a strong stance in front of Percy as he gazed at the small dotted sea in the very furthest of his sight. His eyes narrowing for more focus as he noted the way it was growing more full by the second.  
_**BOOM**_

"WHAT IS THAT NOISE!" Percy bellowed.

His hands however fell limp at his side as he finally saw what Jason was staring at.

The sky rumbled in the far distance as the blond glared defiantly across the expanse of the ocean. His hand gripping onto Percy's wrist trying to give quiet comfort to the now pale and panicking boy. _The war bell. _Jason thought staring as the ships were coming closer and closer in the horizon. _They're here._


	8. The beginning of the war

_**Hi! Thank you to all of you who favourited and followed this story! ^_^ I was sad to see a few people dropped the favourites =( I'm sorry if the previous chapter wasn't that good. Thank you again to **_**_Quinn Lexington _****_your review. By the way everyone! Check out His/her new fanfiction- rebirth! It's so epic! _**_**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are, my little Trojans and Greeks =) **_

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The waves were soft as the soft wind trailed around the dark tainted oak wood of a ship. The waves bathed in the sunlight and embrace of the golden rays as the sea rode it on it's shoulders. The dark blood red masts filled with the wind as a lone figure stood at the helm of the ship. The ship was beautiful as any made before. It rode sweetly and softly but with an unmatched speed. The delicate framing of the wood was carved with long swerved patterns.

It was the prize jewel of the sea.

As the light hit the ship some figures began to move around on the deck, all swayed slightly as a soft tune began to play. The tune of the wind nymphs as they urged the ship on it's way. But there was one boy... one who took a stance at the held as he slowly raised his palm and flipped open the silver locket with an emerald heart sitting in the centre which resided in the smooth of his skin.

His chest was wrapped in a fine and brilliant armour of tight leather and shoulder bound metal braces. His chest braces were engraved with lines and markings of the gods holding out fruit to each other. Beneath the armour was a body tunic of fine and fresh leather. Made from the intense skin of the cows of Apollo.

His toned and strong muscles glistened as their oil coated intense nature caught in the sun light. His eyes glistened intensely as he looked out across the long beaches. Perfect for landing.

Need to make a stable launch point. A place where we can take aim and seethe best way of moving forward-

"Frank!"

Clarisse stormed forward glaring across the distance with him. "Why are we waiting!? We have the force. We have the power! Why are we still here! Let's go! Board the beach and move forward!"

But even she fell silent as the clouds above them began to slowly churn unnaturally. The sea becoming tempered and furious.

Frank however remained still and calm as he watched the locket his mother had given him. The emerald shined and stirred as though all of a sudden it had awoken. _What had she done?_ He thought to himself as he watched the colour in it begin to churn.

Though some began to feel slight fear build in their chests as his hand quaked slightly. The locket began to grind as the sound began to trail away as though become a distance memory... everyone on the deck knew what this meant. As slowly the sky was blacked out with an oncoming storm all began to scurry about. "GET YOUR HANDS ON DECK LADS!" A voice screamed but the boy just stood firm as the wind battled the ship and rain splashed against his face. He closed the locket and grinned to himself and shook his head. _So it seems this is to be more than just a fight of us mortals... the gods want to play as well? _

He pulled his helmet down low over his eyes as the metal guard resided over his face and the rain dripped around, splashing onto the ground as all sunlight was bled and removed from the world around them, leaving only the raging and roaring sea of cascading and growing waves to smash them violently back from the shore line.

"Poseidon has taken his side." Frank growled to himself, wondering why the god of the sea, the normally peaceful... yet horny sea immortal, decided to side with the Trojans on this? What was he missing? There was something important about this that was not making sense. Franks eyes scoured through the rising waves as they smashed violently over the deck.  
"He has stirred up the sea again!" Shouted the first mate as he ran around the deck. "You will all stand firm. You will not back down! On this ship we are all one! If one of us falls, we all fall!" He called, watching how some of his soldiers were shuffling about, watching how the waves were becoming less and less forgiving. _This cannot be real. They would not bother themselves in such a thing like this!_

"And there will be no one falling to the sea on this ship." The Frank whispered softly as he began to walk back to those who had taken their position to row towards the beach instead of relying on the sails. "It seems that the gods are beginning to draw sides." He gazed up into the flashing lightning as it struck the sea violently. The waves however just grew and rose even more defiantly. Striking some of the ships with such a force they toppled back and were brushed under the cove of the ocean. "It means that this has just become all the more complicated." He whispered and added quietly.

He turned and watched how the all mighty Piper was on the deck of her ship over the distant. Staring out across the expanse of the storm, before her eyes locked onto something else.

Frank followed her gaze and felt his body tighten as he reacted to the sight of rapidly approaching horses. The distant sound of bells rising as he grew all the more focused on his job, knowing exactly what he would have to do. "Rowers! Put your hearts to your arms and get us to the beach! We will charge them." He kept his voice calm and yet the tone and force behind it left absolutely no room for debate. His strong aura radiated as the crew nodded and began to heave as they ploughed through the waves. "Do not let your heart be broken by water! You are men who will stand in history!" Frank stood at the front of the boat, his hand wrapped tightly around a nearby mast rope. The waves came over the series and smashed into him with as much force as possible.

The sea god had just made his first mistake.

"What is the fool doing!" He heard Piper's distant voice above the roar of the waves.

But Frank saw exactly what he was looking for.

A small building, almost like that of a large cabin, made out of marble stone, resting on the edge of the beach. It's walls shined as sunlight poured over it and the golden statue of Apollo resides with complete grace.

Inwardly he grinned.

He turned back to the men who were staring on with complete disbelief. Their strong and toned bodies were preparing for the blood massacre shedding which was about to approach them. "Do not let your sword lower because of those mighty walls! Today the pages in history are open and waiting! There's your chance to earn your name on those pages! Take it!" He watched the men begin to to stare on with wide and hungry pleased eyes. "IT'S YOURS!" Frank called, raising the length of his tooth like blade. The deep steel as smooth except for the deep engravings left by Hephaestus. The thin and cylinder like handle fit perfectly into his palm with a balanced light and heavy weight which was dispersed along the length of it.

The men who were stood and ready to charge called out among the thunder, their cheers and roars of agreement matched the might of Poseidon's raging waves and Zeus' lashing thunder.

They were ready to shed blood and please their leader.

They were Frank's true soldiers.

His eyes slowly moved over to the golden statue and the humble building which was built into the ground behind it.

And the temple of Apollo was his first target.

_**-Break-**_

Jason stormed forward as he bounded up the marble steps of the throne room. He ignored the way that the large marble pillars around him seemed to tower towards the sky. The top and base of them were lined with thick and pure moulded ore as the stairs slanted with a slow trickling trail of water on either side. The large walls of the rooms seemed as though the whole garden of Persephone could have been based in there. Large paintings adorned the walls of Nico, Hazel, Bianca and the Queen, though now it seems some had begun to work on a new modelling piece for Percy's and Nico's wedding, while panting both on the wall.

Jason looked over his shoulder with a soft smile and held his laughter inside as he watched how Percy's cheeks lit up crimson, glowing brilliantly as his blush became overly dominant. His eyes locked onto the floor out of humble embarrassment. Jason would go to comfort later, but right now, the alarm bells were ringing loudly across the kingdom and the people were already becoming anxious in there homes. "THIS IS WHAT I TOLD YOU! HOW LONG HAVE WE RESERVED OURSELVES TO TRY AND BECOME AT PEACE WITH THE SPARTANS! NOW THE BEARINGS AND ENTIRETY OF GREECE ARE AT OUR GATES!" Jason knew that Bianca would have been the first ones to get to the throne room.

As he finally reached the top of the steps, Jason came to the sight of the seated guards and council.

Him and Percy delicately stepped over a small creek of water which sprang in equal lines down either side of them. The long etchings of the marble had been carefully made in accordance for it to flow cleanly through the palace while having a perfect abundance to provide for the entirety of the kingdom bellow. After all, it helped building the kingdom on a hidden, cold, underwater spring which spewed water out violently but managed to be soothed into control by the networks which it now flowed through happily among the palace and surrounding wells.

The council were in full abundance though they kept glancing at each other awkwardly with a slight glimmer of fear as the two siblings were stood in their armour, glaring each other down and not allowing themselves to back down.

They had thrown their chairs back behind them, Jason guessing they must have reached the pinpoint of their argument and now stepped away from the mahogany table which stretched the length of the room where the various members and advisers now whispered and looked between their Queen, Princess and prince. Scared to speak up encase to rise the dark wrath of both siblings.

Bianca however seemed to be holding most of the presence in the room as the wind wrapped around her and gave her an aura of brilliance and excellence courage.

The light of the breaking storm rushed around her and filtered out the pure darkness of her midnight plated her as it strode in a tied ponytail down her back. Her toned and sun kissed olive skin shined as the others looked upon her in her stance. Her arm bent into her side to hold her black helmet

Her black armour was incomparable having been forged in the winter solstice under the black sun, (what would later be called an eclipse), under that light it had been forged in the heart of the hottest of white flames made by their little tinkering imp: Leo. Strange how a priest of Apollo could have such a handy capability with armour and creating pieces.

But when he had forged it, even he had been slightly scared by what he had created... not really knowing what he had drawn his new source of metal from, during that brief time.

But now the armour which was laced with the muscles of Bianca's strong and intense warrior form body was a surprise to anyone else who would look at her. Her lean form was hidden with surprising leader strength which now radiated in her stance. The way that a cloak blew out violently in a breeze behind her as her black and gold studded braces, which were similar in embalmed strength to her armour. The gold was so surprising in the way that it shined... almost as though it was still molten but being held in a form against it's will. The tassels which moved down over her legs matched the over all scheme of black and gold. The same colour of the fitted eyes and face piece typical helmet with the golden plume which itself was like the round savage yet beautifully smooth side of a flat blade. Her whole warrior appearance was only ever dared to be questioned by four people. Three were her family...

The other was her wife.

But Nico himself taking the brunt of her shouting, lowering his head ever so slightly but not letting his gaze break away. He himself was dressed only in the basic leather armour which he would wear while having to train with the Jason or Reyna. "Is this really the time for all of this bickering! One ship has already taken the lead and is now directed towards the beach!" Jason called out as he frowned deeply. He had respect for the siblings above all other. They were royalty. The family he never had. Nico the boy he had watched over his entire life of being in Troy, making sure the young prince was happy. On many occasion willing to give up his life for his prince in a surrogate brother love.

The council stared at Jason as though the boy himself had already signed his own death warrant but actually he would be the only one among the others to ever actually be able to get away with doing this. "While we are busy fighting ourselves, our enemies bear down upon us." He heard the distant echo of thunder and felt a tight cramp move through his stomach a tough the impact of it on the ocean could be felt inside of him.

He glanced over his shoulder and noticed a similar reaction from Percy.

But even the siblings paused and at the same time broke their gaze war and stared outside to the gathering shadows from the fading light, the darkness the storm brought with it as the boats were lining the horizon all the more.

The four felt each as though suddenly the room around them was closing in. Their eyes glancing between each other for a moment as all four became aware of just how intense the storm was. "I fear that this fight has become more than some simple battle." Nico said quietly as he walked over to Percy and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy who sank back into his embrace, feeling some comfort as though Nico was (quite ironically) his way of parting the thickness of the shadows which were gathering around them all now.

"What do we do then." Bianca stated as her eyes were locked on the all out brawl the ocean had become outside with the ships at sea. Her gaze occasionally flickering curiously over to Percy, narrowing almost accusingly before going back to studying the sheer scale of the brutal storm outside. Some ships ended up smashing through each other, ripping their hulls to pieces, sending some sailors screaming and over the railings before running aground among the under water banks of sand. No doubt later that they would wash ashore.  
"I would match the likes of Troy against Sparta any day!" One adviser called out and was met with a line of cheers.

None noticing how Bianca casually lent up against a nearby marble pillar. Evaluating the frantic rushing and onslaught of the rain and storm outside as the pelting of it seemed to impact like arrows among the lining of the sand and ground.

The advisers began to seek comfort in each other's words as they rose and clapped each other for the usual reminders which all the others knew. "The walls have never been breached! The sea has already begun to attack them!"  
"Let the gods destroy those filthy Spartans-"  
"But It's not just Spartans." Bianca stated.

All fell quiet at her voice and tone.

The calm, quiet yet deadly nature to it as her eyes were locked still outside among the way of the curving waves. Only ever locking on Percy as the other person in the room. "It's the entirety of Greece. It's the Queen Piper. She has come to take what she had always wanted. The walls of Troy would be her final victory. The final message that she controlled everything. The palace of her ruling power where she can construct her new world with that Spartan Queen-"  
"But Annabeth wouldn't be so cruel! She doesn't want the world!"

All turned to stare at Percy who glared back defiantly at being outspoken.

He knew a lot of things about Annabeth. But a power seeker she wasn't.

"You have still much to learn about love, young branded one." Bianca whispered quietly, making Jason and the sea eyed boy turned drastically pale, like their faces had suddenly drained of all blood. "But the fact still remains. The chariot of Ares has passed us and in the country of Troy the lines of war has been drawn. This is no simple battle." She watched out the corner of her eye how Nico guided Percy to the back of the room. "We all have something to fight for."

Her eyes lingered on him.

"Which is why more than ever we must fight to defend our home..." She paused for a very long moment as the light of the storm washed over her and her shadow moved over the scope of the room.

Her back arched and she let out a small gasp as she felt like an line of arrows had been shot along the length of her spine. Quickly among the various and defining cold feeling moving through her, dread settled far ahead of her scoping of process. moved her eyes across the room, taking count of the gathered advisers and counting each chair. She was missing something... something very important. Something directly in front of her face, which was ridiculously obvious but she for the life of her couldn't think of what was- "Hazel." She said suddenly and both her and Nico almost jumped as their bodies hit with the ocean of dread to their next question. "Where was that first ship headed." She asked very calmly and moved her gaze over to Jason.  
"The temple of Apollo." He said quietly.  
"And where. Is. My. Sister." Bianca looked over to those around the room till one of the guards cleared his throat and spoke up.  
"The temple of Apollo." He said quietly.


	9. A glancing pass

_**Hi! Thank you to all of you who favourited and followed this story! ^_^ Thank you again to **_**_Quinn Lexington _****_your review. By the way everyone! _**_**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are, my little Trojans and Greeks =) And just thank you for all of you giving me so much happiness when you read this story =) An extra long chapter a special treat, hope you all enjoy, gory battles start more in the next chapter =)**_

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Everything was slowing down around Frank as his helmet slid down to cover over his eyes. The sound of pounding rain against his head though didn't stop.

His hand was wrapped tightly around a length of rope next to him. His eyes narrowed as he calculated the storm which was smashing his ship to pieces. He could see the way the waves stormed against the railing and send large shards ripping from their posts and across the face of his soldiers. Already he could hear the mass grating noise of the gates of Troy opening like distant thunder of Zeus' temper on an summers day.

The black clouds still lingered and the rain tremendously smashed down against his face without any mercy as the waves rose higher and higher. The depth of their churning turquoise having no single colour as they almost seemed to become like shadows at one point, the next they were the deepest of a sapphire that Frank had ever set his eyes on, then they would move to a blazing foam of emerald. _'This isn't just going to be a mortal battle.' _He growled in the back of his head as he watched the determined faces of his soldiers glance to the side.

A blonde in the front locked his cold grey eyes with a deep and unhidden loathing across the water as he studied every churn of every wave. His body was tightly knotted, knuckles visibly white as his hand rested as tightly as possible around the handle of his sword. "Easy Malcolm!" Frank said as the boat suddenly almost flipped, turned sharply and tilting at a tight angle so that Frank's soldiers had to grab onto the side roping with all their might not to fall over till the waves were struck by a bolt of lightning and broke apart... strangely, the lightning not grazing the boat or setting it alight with it's uncharged fury.

Frank grinned amused by all of this. He could visibly feel the other emotions of the boy. _Athena's blood is strong in him. _He thought with a side smile as Malcolm turned slightly pale but just redirected his gaze anew with more power and hatred for the ocean. His secret mother's rivalry shining through his blood with irate unchallenged purity than anything else in his mind. "We must go into this clear headed!" Frank suddenly bellowed bringing the blond out of his thoughts. "Remember your training! Remember your goal!" He looked between them and eventually pointed out his sword, to the towering walls which almost faded into the low cloud cover. His strong voice, calling out with a beseeching order. "Remember your purpose!" His smile grew fond as the soldiers slammed her fists over their armour, a loud thunderclap accompanying the sound.

He turned back watching how the clouds were sinking lower and lower. Curving more precisely around the shore line. Zeus was laying them the path... but Franks eyes were only set directly on the temple. That would be the starting point. Taking prisoners and gathering information. Information which will be valuable. Getting supplies which would be necessary.

The first stage of combat was to understand your enemy.

Once you understand the way that your enemy thinks. The way that they move. The way that they act.

You know how to finish them off quickly and without bother.

Clarisse stood at the front. Eyes lowered beneath her helmet as they locked blood lustfully across the beach and to the temple where the storm was trying to push them away from. Her ears lingered and focused onto every word that came out of Frank's mouth. It was strange. It wasn't like when they trained and the boy radiated his blood red aura across his rippling muscles. It was calmer. More sedated. More tightly flowing as though it was rippling away from him in his words and becoming part of the others as he called out to them. It was like a long tendril moving through the heart of each man and woman who now stood there.

The call of battle. The lure of blood lust. The unquenchable thirst.

War.

inevitable. Blood shedding. Merciless. War.

But she couldn't help herself. Something all about battle. Her pulse would soar higher than an eagle above the clouds of Zeus. Her heart would pound mightier than the waves of Poseidon in a storm, similar to what they had been trapped in right now.

And her arm would send more people to Hades than Thanatos or more painfully than Orcus. Though a lot of the time she tended to follow Frank's lead, though she sometimes would wish strongly against it.

Frank would always make it a one strike kill. Ending someone's life and letting them be in the arms of Thanatos before they realised it and were down in Charon's boat. He never on reflection liked to prolong out the death of another soldier. After all, why would he? They were just here for the same reason that he was. To serve a purpose to someone in a higher power and wait till the fates came to the decision that his thread would be cut instead of someone else's.

But now was not a time for reflection.

Now was not a time for them to lose their thoughts over what they were about to do.

Zeus and Poseidon were raging between them. She didn't have to be an Athenian, bursting with knowledge to know that.

Although she couldn't see through the mist, she could feel the strong aura of them.

Zeus stood among the rolling mist of clouds above the raging whirlpool of the ocean beneath him. Lunging out to strike as a lightning bolt with a quiet burst of storm in his eyes as Poseidon would always rise out in the form of a breaking wave and meet the strike and burst of lightning. Neither of them could find the edge on each other. Each was careful to avoid damaging their pieces in every way possible. Poseidon having to manage the way the ocean waves wanted to rise into Tsunami's and strike the city, his entire will went into drawing them back and using his entire force into blocking the strikes of lighting.

Similarly how his baby brother Zeus kept darting forward, trying to find a crack in Poseidon's vast waves to stun his brother enough into letting the ships pass.

After all.

Zeus always sided with his little Princess Athena.

But now the king of the god's was trying to go against the brother who was going against his pride and joy. His love and little girl. Even the king of the god's had some obligation to his family. Even if that meant that he found himself on the side which he wished not to fight for.

But then again... this was more than just an argument about protecting their children.

This was what the gods had been waiting for since they had first drawn lots and taken their positions amongst the world.

This was a battle of angry siblings and rivalling immortal family. A battle of nature. A battle which on no spot was going to end well, with each side supporting a city... but no. The war at the end of the day, was just the excuse and fuse of lighting a battle between each other.

But now Zeus smirked to himself as the young child of Ares, swung out across the line of the rope as the boat struck the sand, and he sailed forward, storming across the sand, kicking up large lumps of quicksand behind him as his legs pounded along like that of a stampede of horses. His soldiers quickly in behind, coming up except for Clarisse who had been ordered to stay and mind the ship as Frank knew he wouldn't been able to entirely focus with his only and last family member so close. With only her in safety and himself moving confidently forward towards the large marble steps.

His armour gleamed as Zeus tauntingly let the clouds part and blast sunshine of the sky down onto his armour. Poseidon's rage exploding with a roar as the waves exploded with the restraint force of a tsunami, rolling away from the ships as all four spirits of the wind were aided to Zeus' side and sliced the waves... but not completely, only managing to distort them, but the effect of them rolling over the ships and knocking them off course was still enough for Poseidon to earn his own small victory.

Lightning and thunder snarled angrily as Zeus looked over the cover of the mixed and now disorientated ships. The four winds beginning to try and encourage the torn sails into some shape as he leashed them and flailed them with a whip of lightning to follow his orders. "Game on brother." He whispered. His cold and striking thunder like eyes, flaring among the short and cut black frame of his hair as his muscle toned body and short cloth of silk faded with a ripple, leaving only collars of lightning around his minions of the winds.

Poseidon however, standing under the cover of the waves, stared darkly at the spot where his brother had been but a few seconds before. His tanned knuckles turned white as he curled them around the shaft of his trident. His rolling and shifting eyes pointed and locked. Like he was a hound set and ready to lunge. His waves still knocked violently against the ships but had lost their initial fight.

He stood only in the lower fall of a tunic which flowed with the same movement of his short cropped hair. The black spikes of it, pointed as sharp as the ends of his godly item. His sun kissed skin shifting from a cold and soft colour to a deep a rich tone as with every wave and churn of his anger, he shifted ever so slightly.

He just like his realm.

Changing as the tide.

"The game is already over. Baby brother." He stated before with one last stamp of his trident a ripple of waves barraged the ships one last time bitterly, sending them in a sprawl away from the shore but not sinking them. Almost like he was a small child having a tantrum. He turned and began to sink back to his palace, letting the surface of the water become still and flat.

His message was clear: this was the calm before the storm.

Frank understood this too and he watched from the corner of his eye, and the twitch of his ear how the barks of the generals on each ship were calling each other together to join and row as a connection onto the beach.

The gods were joining this war with them.

He knew that this was the first strike.

And he was ready to fight back.

Immortals or not.

_**-Break-**_

Hazel sighed softly as she was knelt forward on the cold marble floor in front of the large length of a pool. Her golden eyes sparkled in the reflection as her coco soft hand reached out and placed a small candle inside the blossom of one of the lotuses which danced the surface of the glistening turquoise water. Her smile was bewitchingly enchanting, almost like that of the architecture around her.

Large pillars of trimmed gold rose to the ceiling around them in the large room. The large pool where she now was knelt was a deep and passing channel into the sea and soft spring where sea and underground river met. The roof was decorated with individual paintings and depictions of the god Apollo himself, standing tall as a strong man. Muscled and toned. Soft blue eyes like the summer sky on a sunny day. His hair glistening a shining and glowing blond. Confident and strongly posed.

Hazel always tended to have a good laugh at it because it reminded her suspiciously of one of the priests: Will, who had blushed so profusely in front of her Brother Nico when the comparison had been made from the Prince about the priest. Will had found himself quite speechless, (a surprising and brilliant accomplishment in Hazel's opinion, though she meant no malice from it.), she had often wondered if her brother understood the effect that he had on the doppelgänger priest. But she kind of guessed it didn't matter now.

The whole of Troy had found out about Nico's little adventure on his peace mission to Sparta.

It kind of made her feel better about the fact that she was silently courting a small impish cutie from the temple herself.

That reminded her.

As she looked past the varying large depicted gold statues, brilliant pools of fresh cool drinking water she saw the small and timid figure of a boy as he went about placing burning incenses along the statue's base. Letting the smoke paint over the precious metal and wavering drops of oil in offering before placing the flowers into a humble fire and watching the way the petals all slowly fade instead of degrade into ash. They were absorbed by the fire instead of smelting away into a burning mist of gold as per usual when a true offering was placed to the patron of the city.

She slowly rose, letting the soft and nearly opaque folds of her silk dress with long gold trimmings move across the floor and trail behind her, however it revealed the lose pieces of the white tied tunic which moved down her front and back, tied at the shoulders and waist, but still revealed the dark and warm skin which lay beneath the real tunic and the soft wrappings which now respectfully rested above it. Her cinnamon brown curls fell down past her shoulder and halfway to her waist, all brushed with streaks of lighter chocolate brown, while having blossomed pink based and white tipped roses woven into her hair from her little cutie.

She made her way over lazily as the open roof of the temple let the warm sunshine, (which Zeus had allowed through, while he and his brother had battled), swarmed over her face, the general and risen scent of flowers and various oils having lowered her inhibitions, making her almost drowsy as she slowly moved over barefoot, over the various laid sheets of silk on the marble floor to the boy.

She was just about a head's worth taller than him. That's why she tended to call him, her little imp. Well, that and because of his lightly tanned skin, his warm brown eyes almost danced with the reflection of the fire in front of them as she hooked her arms around his shoulder and pulled him close to her chest. Her arms falling land over his and a light grin dancing across her face as she watched the way a warm, bursting blush, spread across the boy's elvish Latino face. His hair was a nest of curling black satin, which she often loved to play with like a small kitten and a ball of thread.

The boy was normally dressed in a full flowing robe and adorned with the jewellery of respectful proportions which are attributed towards a priest of Apollo.

However for today on this summer burst of sunlight, he was dressed in a short line of white silk which wrapped around his body and beautiful soft skin. Only tied together by one simple string at the back which Hazel wrapped her finger through, knowing one simple pull would leave him bare and her with the sight of his body. But most of all, she loved the way that he arched now back against her, his blush turning as red as the flame in front of them as his nimble fingers trembled slightly, desperate to reach out and busy them self with a job of completing the task in front of them. "Leo dear, you're doing it again." She purred into his ear, grinning as she felt him go rigid.  
"I-I don't know what you mean." He whimpered, trying to step forward but the moment he tried to, he felt the first bow of the knot, which Hazel had her finger through, pull away.  
"Oh I think you most certainly do." She said becoming more serious as she heard the footsteps of Will in the distance as he busied himself with checking all tributes were in place to be given to Apollo. She however was just making sure that they had no chance of being intruded on as she casually kicked out her foot, grinning from ear to ear as a curtain of thick material came down behind the statue and pillars, leaving them in the comfort of their own company as Hazel leaned a bit more closer so now her lips whispered and caressed Leo's ear. Breathing gently as she whispered. "One of these day's he going to catch you give your offering to Hephaestus."

Leo's blush drained away with a pale but Hazel stroked his cheeks comfortingly as she kissed his neck assuringly. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone." She paused for a moment and let out a sigh. Her arms becoming more secure around him, the teasing nature of her body language leaving her instantly as she stared blankly at the ground. "We all have our secrets."  
"And what would your's be."

Leo smiled encouragingly after a pause.

He hated when things became like that. He didn't know how to handle it. He was an bundle of energy, often described as wild as the four winds which would come over the shore of Troy. Hazel had compared him to the master genius of Hephaestus, which had been the first bit of a true compliment that he had ever received from someone. The others had always looked down on him slightly, finding him nothing more than a hyperactive pest of an ex slave after Hazel had found him and freed him and given him a home in the temple.

He hadn't had much life inside of him when he had come here. Life which Hazel had nursed back into him, giving him love, reassurance, kindness, tending to the whip marks on his back which also tending to the impalements made into his soul from his haunting and painful memories. "Spoilers." Hazel smiled.  
"Spoilers? What kind of response is that?" Leo laughed and nearly jumped like a cat as Hazel leaned in and kissed him deeply, her golden eyes half closed as she watched the way he melted completely into it.  
"Careful, you may be cute, but I'm still a Princess." She teased, knowing that they were comfortable enough between the two of them to joke about it.  
"Oh well, my royal highness, I guess you should ask your tutor for another few sessions because I think your responses need a bit of work."  
"Hmm."

Leo stared with wide eyes and blushed brightly as in response Hazel simply pulled loose the last bow of the knot and laughed as Leo turned bright pink when his tunic fell to a pile around his feet, the boy's legs instantly closing in on themselves, as his lean and soft form came into the view of her hungry and devouring eyes. She however just grinned even wider though he blushed embarrassed, ashamed of the scars over his skinny and growing frame. But Hazel loved him. She loved him from his scars, to his skinny figure, to his small, petite body, to his little puppy chest which puffed out. "I really don't understand why my brother didn't snap you up while he had the chance."  
"Well he apparently has that new beauty according to a rather green eyed will."  
"Oh don't remind me." Hazel sighed and fell back onto the lining of pillows on a chair as she pulled the bare form of her secret little lover into the draping of her silk gown. Her hands ran up and down his chest, touching every bit of the soft skin while her other hand and arm, cradled him close to her chest, her fingers toying with his hair. She loved the way he leaned into her. "Bianca hasn't stopped going on about it for days. Then when Nico finally get's back and she's cooled down, she starts up again!"  
"Is it really that bad?" Leo looked up at her, be smitten with the fuss he was receiving. He was very much self conscious that he was now completely bare, but it wasn't as though it was something he wasn't used to.

When he had been a slave, his old owner had him and another blond boy... some strange blond boy with a tattoo on his wrist, (the boy had the most startling sky colour eyes that Leo had ever seen, muscled like most of the heroes that they heard about now a days.), had been whipped mercilessly and been left out in the burning heat under the sun to burn from the sun rays and have someone push into the sun burns till he had screamed... however he had never been burnt. The heat had never bothered him. He should have burnt like the others but never did.

So eventually he had taken to smearing red berry juice across him and making screams as he had been walked over... the second of the two hadn't been that heard to recreate. The old slave trader had been quite merciless. Always insistent on making sure that he was ready for anything. Only ever taking it easy on him... or so it seemed, when he actually was resourceful and managed to create something to benefit them. He used them, because he had never gotten to see the traders face. In all those years after his mother dying when he was seven, he had never once seen the person's face.

Only now when he was sixteen and free of the hell which was his past, did he really consider how truly weird that was.

Both bolted up slightly as a large and loud thunderclap exploded from outside, making Hazel frown deeply as both were still under the warm blanket of sunlight and laid back. "No." She said quietly, turning her gaze back to her small imp as she moved a curl out of his face. Tracing her finger over the soft shade of his eyelids and placing a blessing kiss on his forehead. "I just wish they could both push past each other and get on with the fact that-"

**BANG**

Both paused again as Hazel frowned even deeper than before. Her eyes now sticking to the sky above which was still cloud free and pushing sunlight down onto them. _'Probably just the soldiers outside, messing around... or that thunder.' _She shrugged to herself, though her hand moved with instinct down to her own thigh, and her ears now became more sensitive and desperate to listen to the sound outside. "The fact that, Bianca doesn't realise that by trying to be so protective by Nico... and honestly? I think a bit jealous of how rapidly close this boy has become to him within such a short amount of time, she doesn't realise that by trying to pull Nico closer, she's just pushing him away. But she won't admit it because she's to stubborn, just as Nico is to see it any other way."  
"Wow, and I thought I had issues." Leo murmured cheekily earning a grin from the girl.  
"I should put you across my knee for that."  
"And yet we both know that you'd rather have some strong soldier do that." Leo chuckled, watching the lust flare in Hazel's eyes as both imagined the missing element from their loving little partnership. Each yearned, (both agreeing it to each other), that both thought something...someone was missing from the strange element which made up their incomplete heart set.  
"Oh, I'd sit back and watch that." Hazel nodded.

But then came the sound of screaming and thunder.

Hazel paused for a moment, frozen by the blood curling sound which was a strangled cry of death coming from outside. "What was that." Leo squeaked, his head lifting up from the embracing cradle which had been Hazel's arms.  
"Nothing to worry about, the guards outside are-"

Another cry of pain followed before there was a slight rustle of the curtain over the entrance of the shrine area.

Hazel threw Leo off her and his tunic to his arms as she shoved him quickly into a back corridor of the room. Not giving him an chance to even glance at what she had just seen out the corner of her eye. "Stay here. Stay quiet." She hissed, locking her eyes with his till she could see definitely that the boy would follow her orders instead of being the defiant, crazy, hyperactive nut job she knew him to be.

He eventually gave a nod and she placed a finger to her lip pulled the curtain across the pillar and sealing the corridor door, resting her head against it as she listened intently to the silence outside, catching the almost impossibly silent sound of skin slicing open.

Her eyes locked onto the object which was still rolling towards the pool of water now, leaving a trail behind it, still decorated in the gold plume of it's guarding symbol, that it was someone who was a loyal guard to royalty.

She had to turn away and close her eyes as the round object stopped rolling and the sputtering, head of a decapitated guard came to it's rest.

It's surprised and fearful eyes locked on her in a frozen moment of death.

A slow buzzing began to build up in her ears as the sound of her fearful heart was drowned out. Her adrenaline rushing as free as an raging ocean, (like the one which was outside, still settling from it's tantrum battle)... but it wasn't that which she was focused on.

She could feel something colder and stronger moving in an arrangement outside.

Metal. Precious metals. She could feel the intense cold of gold. The cool and smooth feeling of silver.

But there was something else that when she closed her eyes, she could feel beat out strongly among anything else. Something which stood out from her special wave of identification... she should explain. Ever since she was young, she had kept a secret, one from even her other siblings. She could always sense or feel the movement of special metals. Special meaning, anything which could be considered valuable riches or jewellery. Anything metal or jewel which posed any value.

Which was what made her so effective at being in charge of the wealth of her home... everyone always asked her secret at being so effective about it?

She would never tell.

But now she closed her eyes and found the blackness of her eye lids was painted away by her senses as she saw the broken outline of swords, and pieces of ornamented armour where rich metals had been used. Her eyes darted quickly, studying the number of them in the darkness before her eyes burst back open. _Twenty... at the least! It's hard to tell, not all of them are wearing full rich metal armour. _She listened to her ears once more as the buzzing was growing louder. It was a faint sound but still defined by it's own right.

How had she honestly not noticed sooner!

However, now she had to make sure that this went right.

It going any other wasn't an option.

_**-Break-**_

Frank paused at the steps of the temple as Malcolm wiped the decapitated body of a Trojan guard off his sword. "Twenty guards for the entrance of a temple." The blond growled quietly. "Seems a bit excessive doesn't it?" He frowned deeply. Pausing as he crouched down and studied the uniform of the armour. His growing fighting urge had clouded his mind from noticing the head had rolled away so quickly under the curtained entrance, while the body hit the ground with a toned thud.

Frank nodded slowly and walked up towards the statue of Apollo where the others had crowded around, wiping the blood off their blades of their fallen foes, it had been quick, and effective. No time or any chance of hesitation. No brutality, just simple attack and murder. But his orders still rang in his ears bitterly as he pulled his helmet free of his head and tossed it over to another soldier, who caught it quickly, getting back into line with the others. "Apollo is the patron of their city. His bow is notched for our heads, and his prejudice will be without any less hesitation than your blades." He hesitated on his words, staring across the distant lining of ships. "Take the temple. Take it's gold."

The soldiers bounded their hands against their chest as they cheered and stormed forward into the curtained entrance.

Malcolm frowned at this, annoyed that they were charging into the situation without analysing a strategy or going with caution. His grey eyes locked onto Frank who stared across the horizon of correcting ships as now men were jostling into the water on the backs of horses, or climbing into boats and storming onto the sand of the beach as already as Malcolm's true king had taken the lead and cleared the beach of it's defence soldiers... though something about him did make him frown at the way the guards they killed were dressed. More rich than he would have thought. They were charging in with too many unknown considerations to take in calculation! Then on top of that! Raiding the temple of a god?!

Frank caught his deep glare at rose a questioning eyebrow. "Malcolm?" Frank ran a hand through his hair as the intense sunlight bore down them.  
"Permission to speak sir." The blond said impassively. His grey eyes staying as blunt as ever as he looked into Frank who just gave a simple and straight forward nod. "Apollo see's everything! He's traveller of the sky! He see's everything under it's gaze and thereby himself see's everything. There is nothing which doesn't pass his eyes. It would be beyond unwise to offend him!" Malcolm exclaimed. Being the only one who was able to really talk to the other like this.

Frank paused for a moment, staring up towards the sky, then the sun shields of the slain shoulders who were nothing else now, more than corpses in a pile of growing puddles of blood.

Then in one mighty slice and did he turn and Malcolm stared in horror as the head of Apollo's statue came clean from it's golden depiction.

Immediately Malcolm could feel the heavy weight of sunlight bore into their faces as the black clouds were blasted away by pure, intense sunlight.

Frank turned with an impassive face hearing the new sound of heavy hoofs coming from the distance as the roars of soldiers came from the lead black stallion on the hill cover. A figure in pure black armour sat poised on the back of a horse which pounded along the sand cover. Sending great mounds and intense clouds of sand into the sky. From here Frank could hear the intense and long drawn breaths as the black stallion had merciless eyes set on him.

Then there was the girl ontop who's black eyes blazed from the decorated helmet cover, a risen horse plume on the helmet of gold and black, piercing the air, stronger than any blade could. The black cloak trail, flailing out behind her like a long stretched pair of wings as the entire rush of guards came hurtling towards them. Forty soldiers or so, according to Franks feeling in his gut. All of them, coming over the hill of sand dunes, calling to their horses to hurry.

Only the girl in front remained quiet and steady with locked eyes at him as she took over the state of the already smoking temple.

"Warn them." He said quietly, holding out his hand to receive no answer as the last of his soldiers began to pour in through the entrance while one handed him a spear.

He tested the weight in his hand and nodded for a moment.

Watching with narrowed eyes as the girl pulled an arrow back on her bow.

Both locked eyes for the briefest of seconds as he tested the weight of it one last time, then with an almighty throw sent the spear hurtling through the air.

The same time that Bianca released the arrow from her bow.

Everything slowed down as the spear and arrow glided through the air towards each other.

The black arrow tip, gliding past the spear by a hair's inch as both launched towards a soldier.

Frank's spear ploughed into the chest of a horseman sending him going through the air and pinning him to the ground as he vomited and gurgled up on his blood. Drowning in his own internal bleeding as the man spluttered up faster and faster as the spear was sunk through his body entirely.

Bianca stared in disbelief, hesitating for the briefest of second with a slight turn of her head before her black shadow eyes blazed with the pits of Hades as she leaned forward, watching the trail of her flown arrow.

Frank stared as the arrow sailed past him and the gurgle of one his his soldier echoed in his ears.

As the man was pinned to the wall by his head as the arrow has sailed and shot directly between his eyes which now leaked blood, leaving him like a trapped insect against the marble as his eyes rolled about lifelessly and his body shuddered, his blood now watering the marble stones of the temple.

Frank stared in a mirror disbelief at the first killed man on his own guard. Watching the blood sprinkle from the fatal pierce, the way the shaft was buried into the marble... that must have had some incredible strength behind it.

He smiled to himself, letting his gaze hold her's one last time before he moved into the temple.

He watched how there seemed to be a tense aura to the air. The soldiers had already gone off to ransack any amount of gold they could find in the other rooms which were open from the corridors... but something seemed different here.

Something not completely as the room would entail at first look.

Frank guessed, Malcolm must have said something about his little action outside, because the large statue in front of them now was decapitated, the head bobbing for a moment in front of him, though it's intense weight should have meant that it should have sunk by now... He watched the way that it only did that after his eyes met the golden ones which looked cold... and even a slightly bit betrayed, before going under the black depth of the water.

_Focus. _He scolded himself as he closed his eyes and let his senses spread out. Not trusting his eyes but by going his other senses alone. He could hear the way that the others were moving about down the corridors, loudly cheering his name and daring the gods to take them on, seeing as though they had so easily already taken out the beach defences. Cursing the Trojans and ridiculing them.

He shook them out of his way as he finally caught what he was looking for.

Two different sets of breathing. Two _very _different sets of breathing. The first one was a steady set breathing. Slow... calm... deliberate. Quiet and studious.

He grinned.

He would have to watch out for that one...

The second one however, it seemed to stutter every now and then. Pausing trying to mask itself.

It didn't let it mask it's fear as the first one did.

He slowly paused and walked around the room, standing directly in front of the pool of water, looking at his own reflection, splashing his face with water to cool it down quickly.

His hand reached down to his dagger in the back of his belt.

He cupped his other hand and sipped the cold water generously, enjoying it's sweet taste.

Before he threw the dagger and watched it tilt off it's axis slightly as it missed the point behind the nearest pillar and embedded itself deeply in the wall.

He paused as he watched a coco hand reach out slowly for the blade, then the very metal itself begin to quiver as it leapt the short distance into the palm.

But then came an exposed arm, as a soft and and see through sleeve came down over it. Gold trimming sparkling brightly as the dagger in the hand paused. "Drop it." Frank stated. "Or lose the arm."  
"My, my. Such a strong voice." A voice whispered.

The hand let go of the dagger and left it embedded back in the crack it had made.

The voice became a figure, and the figure became something that made Frank pause and stare at with wide eyes. "Don't hurt me."

His eyes connected with golden ones under thick black lashes. Cinnamon and soft lighter brown curls fell down over the side of a face as the girl stepped out slowly, her revealing tunic hanging on tight to her frame as her over gown, trail and traced against the water as the wind caught it and blew it out around her and him. He paused and looked her over. The way that the tunic fell down like a long skirt between her legs, exposing her chocolate skin.

His jaw set tight and his eyes narrowed slightly. _She's the one with the calm and steady breathing. _He thought as he watched the way she backed herself up against the wall and the seat where the pillows were dishevelled. _Not shapes over her... definitely two of them. _He kept thinking.

She just slowly moved herself back into his seat as sounds of screams followed from the other rooms.

Suddenly her eyes became slightly filled with fear before they masked over again... she had been looking for something.

This gorgeous beauty certainly had something hidden hear... some treasure which was most certainly not gold.

Frank slowly moved over to her. "I won't. As long as you come quietly."  
"Nice dagger." She said softly, moving her eyes over to the one in his hand.

Completely made of steel. No rich transfusions about it.

He could see the faintest bit of frustration and anger break through her eyes before she clouded them over once more and slowly locked gazes with him. "Let me guess, a nice little priest girl like you has never really seen one of these before."

Her eyes shined brightly as a smile moved onto her face... but the reason of it didn't belong there. She seemed happy about some observation Frank had made... but what?

She tilted her head, ever so slightly up to him as he loomed over her. "I've never seen a lot of things." She whispered softly. Her arms moving across her thighs slowly, drawing his eye. Grinning when his gaze moved away. "I've never seen a sight like you before."  
"Not a lot of people have and lived to tell the tale." Frank stated bluntly.  
"Hmm... well I guess I better enjoy it."

She began to lean up and Frank finally had a blush explode across his face as he took a step forward.

Finally her eyes shined.

She yanked back on her gown which Frank had grown so distracted with, he hadn't noticed he had stepped onto, but now he went falling back and flipped himself on impact to land in a crouch before reaching for his sword as the girl pulled two concealed daggers out from a belt around her thighs. How had he not noticed! _  
Because you was to busy looking at everything else about her to notice. _His thoughts replied as blunt as ever.  
She lunged forward, and their blades met as each locked gaze.

He pushed her off easily but that didn't matter... what mattered was.

_She looks so beautiful. _He thought to himself as he stared at her.  
"HAZEL!"

If Frank had let it, he was sure that his jaw would have fell open slightly as a half dressed boy came crashing out of a nearby closet, (would that be a hell of a joke, to consider in a few thousand years?), but the boy suddenly turned with wide and fearful eyes as he looked between a crouched Hazel and the boy.

Frank took no hesitation as he flunk forward and the girl he supposed was named Hazel screamed out. "LEO!" She lunged forward but as Frank grabbed him, she hesitated, knowing that if she made a move, he would be able to do anything before she even pounced. "DON'T HURT HIM!"

Frank's grip wrapped around the boy's neck. "Put down your weapons. You certainly have a lot of spirit for a priestess."

A moment passed between the girl and the boy, a quiet understanding.

He turned the boy slightly so he and the girl couldn't connect gazes. "Is Troy just full of beautiful people!"  
"Huh?" Leo turned his eyes up, turning himself slightly so he could get a better look at the guy. "Beautiful?! Are you crazy or something!"  
"What? Now shush beautiful one. The sexy golden eye one over there and me have business to deal with."  
"Leo! He's holding you like he's going to break your neck! NOW IS NOT A TIME TO BLUSH!" Hazel scolded.  
"What! He's easy on the eyes himself!" Leo barked as if this defeated the fact that the guy had him in that grip.  
"Weapons. Drop. Now." Frank said calmly.

Hazel snarled but did as ordered and kicked her daggers to the floor and into the water, not giving him the chance to get his palms onto them.

Both shared a grin for a moment as he appreciated the gesture meaning and the spirit this girl had. _Beautiful and spirit of a warrior... wow. _His eyes slowly turned back down to the boy in his arm as he loosened his grip and the imp practically leaped out but not before landing a punch on his gut and screaming out as he held his fist. "WHAT THE HADES?!"  
"That's why they call it armour LEO!" Hazel shouted.  
"He's wearing a leather plated, non metal underlay armour with a steel outside trimming and strong toned breastplate. I hit in the exact place the armour should be forged at it's weakest!" He whined as Hazel took a strong step in front of him.

Hazel stared at Frank for a long moment, her eyes moving over him in a new light. Taking in his strong toned shape. The way he rested his weight. The way he studied them back. "Right. Get come on. Get moving." He nodded his head toward the back exit of the temple.  
"What?"  
"I Implied I let him go out of my grip. I never implied I'd let you both go." _Besides, if the others find you, you wouldn't be getting out of here alive. _"Move. Now." He barked.

Both looked at each other then back at their hot capture.

They sighed for a long moment before having their wrists bound and escorted out of the temple.

Hazel not noticing her gown had been left behind.

_**-Break-**_

Bianca however didn't stop until she reached the steps and even then threw herself off her horse. She needed to not say anything to her own private guard of men. Her tense shoulder and slow sharp burst of a glance was enough to tell the others everything she thought as she studied the way the guard of her sister were left to die, piled against each other in their own blood.

She ripped the arrow from the marble and settled the body down of the soldier she had shot with her arrow. Her fingers moved over the eyelids softly and lowered them for them to sleep. Placing two golden coins on each eye and then one on the tongue.

This was war... but this also wasn't a game. These were people who had lives. These were people who had families. Lovers. Sons or daughters. Wife's or husbands. They deserved respect in the after life, as did they while their hearts still gave out a beat up here.

Her eyes moved over to the decapitated body of a soldier and she curled her hands together in a tight fist, hearing the way the leather gripped loudly.

Even if her enemies did not have that respect themselves.

"Watch out!" She was pulled back as her horse gave an indignant cry and reared back angrily, as she rushed forward and nuzzled Bianca, the guard who had pulled her back now stared down at the crimson cloak cover gown of a body shape beneath them.  
"What the-" Bianca reached out but as she touched the cloth, she pulled her hand back as it was damp...

The cloth was red because it was soaked in blood.

These were the bodies- They were-

She looked up in time to see more bodies thrown down till the number of them were hidden in a pile, hiding the true amount of how many were there.

However, the last thing to fall was a see through over the top gown...

Her eyes traced the fall.

In trimming gold-

"HAZEL!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, but was blown back as fire exploded out the temple and encased the pile of bodies.

She rolled on the sand and stared as the building was already encased in flourished flames and the pile of bodies... lost, burning in crimson.

Her sister- he-her sister was?

She screamed out furiously as she tried to pull herself up.

Not seeing Hazel and Leo tucked away on the back of a steed as Frank galloped away, back to the cover of his ship and base on the beach with the other Greeks.


	10. The battle in the shadows

_**Hi! Thank you to all of you who favourited and followed this story! ^_^ Thank you to **_**_BooksandSunsets_****_your and percabethbooklion for your review. _**_**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are, my little Trojans and Greeks =) **_**_Warning: story contains BoyxBoy (don't like, then don't read), swearing, scenes of extreme violence and ratings may be turned up at a later time._**

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The dark of the night was drawing in ever so faster and yet still in the distance the great sound of cheers and the loud roars of bricks falling apart stayed dominant among the four winds. Each of the four tauntingly chased the sounds behind them and swept them over the palace windows, coaxing them into each and every royal Prince or Princess who stood there.

To Nico as he stood with tear filled eyes, staring blankly across the risen and highest points of the great walls, to see the structure of Apollo's temple finally give in as with an almighty crash. "Hazel." He barely managed the whisper. He curled his hands tightly into white pale fists. His knuckles blaring out angrily through his tight grip as his nails broke the skin in his palm and let blood trail down slowly across his wrist tauntingly. Every drop meant nothing to him but only coaxed forward more wrath of pain which was exploding inside of him. His rage was barely been able to contain itself.

Thunder and lightning boomed above him, the every ounce of the palace was threatened, trying to be shook by the might of Zeus but only fell short as Poseidon and Hades fought back with all of their united might. But that didn't discourage the foolish king of the gods any less. His stubborn nature was as persistent as his lightning bolts; trying to bring some light among the dark and ever expanding black shadows of night, but the storm was failing. It's threat was falling on deaf ears. The darkness and down pour were putting any acknowledgement of it to him to a side. The hell like state of the sea as it smashed with an unrestrained, irate nature against the ships was beginning to put some worry to the Greeks who were taking an immediate shelter from the rain which felt lie millions of individual punches placed against their faces, battering them down into the mesh of sand, which was beginning to swallow some up to their calf's.

But that wasn't the worst thing which was effecting them on that late eve.

The shadows clasped as dark hands over the land, moving closer and closer with pained and agonising movements to the beach only to be turned away as each of them was struck by lightning. It's finger tips which resembled like great talons. They stretched with all their savage might to try and clasp out onto those who now sheltered in the safety of candle lit rooms of their ship. The shadows still reached out for them with a ravenous hunger. Haunting each and every single one of them.

Many had already started screaming in their nightmare filled torment. Unable to wake or move while Hades just clambered further and further into the depths of their fear. Driving each and every of their hearts to it's maximum beating point.

Even making a few of them burst and explode.

Leaving them perfectly preserved so that they would only be found dead in the morning after his daughters had done the dirty work to drive a threat out amongst the sailors and soldiers.

He knew they wouldn't mind coming across a few decayed and mangled corpses.

And if they did? Well. The 'Queen' they were fighting for would send them to quickly follow.

But even so Nico stared out and watched the flames flourishing higher as now the street was lines respectfully with the bodies of the fallen. The priests, the soldiers, the fallen who deserved their full chance at peace in the after life. Those who were guided into the fields of Elysium and through the darkness of the underworld by Apollo as he comforted the priests in their darkest and saddest moments. Cooing to each of them with praise and thanks for their duty. Their nobility in performing and staying to his side until the very end.

To him, those savage soldiers had let his sister burn in that temple with the rest of the mangled corpses. "Hazel, I promise you." He began to whisper. His tears raking their tracks down his cheek gently. "I swear by all the gods on Olympus who now hear my words."

And each certainly were listening as the Prince's words were the official igniting of war.

"I promise by the Titan's cast to the depths of Tartarus." His soft eyes became two bottomless pits of anger and rage. Painted with pain and the thought of loss which was now complete inside of his mind. The black ink of his hair writhed with the shadows around him as the darkness was moving like tendrils against the harsh moonlight which fought in vein to try and compete amongst the storm. "I will make their journey to Hades be as slow as possible." His words rocked through the air and the ground slowly.

The gods of the wind halted in fear from coaxing the screams of the dead priests into his ears as they stared at the symbol beginning to burn itself agonisingly onto his fore arm.

From the distance a man with wings like a black angel halted in his duty of collecting the dead as he felt the sudden surge of darkness.

The gods on Olympus each stared down, watching in absolute fear as Nico turned his gaze up to the clouds and to the distant beach. His tears of misery mingling with his words of fury with the raindrops. The pale olive colour of his skin shined out in the moonlight as the shadows rose around him. "I will make each of them beg for the field of punishment. I will make sure that each and everyone of them knows a glimpse of Tartarus in the death that I deal them." His words echoed around his own head as the rage of the underworld flowed through him. The hatred. The unadulterated hatred of his own nature, for the first time coming to a rise within him. "I will make them beg me for death. I will take a sword of shadows. I will take darkness and make them suffer. Suffer far worse than any god could ever make a mortal suffer."

At his words even the lightning and thunder halted in surprise. The sea momentarily came to a frozen rest.

Only the shadows seemed to continue moving as they now circled around him, his own circle of hate, anguish and brutality forming in the pit of his soul with the brand on his forearm. The symbol of a great warm helm... well at first it seemed like that. It changed and blurred in appearance across his skin. Constantly taking the similar shape of the war helm, changing sometimes to a wreath of human bones or even a crown of Dragon bones. Each symbol was detailed in depth. Each was blacker than the shadows. Each was clear as to what Nico was feeling inside his heart as his heritage of his father was burnt into his skin.

"Do you hear me?" He asked out calmly to the winds. Not seeing that behind the hidden veil of mist, his very gaze radiated the aura of his father. His body replicating the depth of his loss, the sliver of the helm of Hades was burning to life inside of him. Each god the the vicinity could feel the presence.

Thanatos grinned to himself before he went back to guiding the blind souls of the dead to their new home.

The four winds went screaming away from the very presence as both the aura's of Hades and his son filled the air dominantly with the storm.

Poseidon and Zeus watched on with horror at the spawn of this darkness coming into wake with his nature.

Even the god of war Ares found himself slightly startled by the fact and appearance of this child.

But the most important reaction came from the god of the underworld as he grinned to himself smugly. Rising from the shadows and taking a ghostly outline over his child. In a young appearance resembling his son greatly. A ghostly veil of the god himself, staring up towards the sky as Zeus arched from each cloud, zipping from each cloud, trying to keep up with each prong of shadow that neared the ships, while using the chain of winds to keep the four gods; Boreas, Zephyrus, Eurus, and Notus in line to battle against Poseidon's rage as the young god charged each of the ships with rage, trying to drag the soldiers back out across the ocean and sink them slowly in it's crushing depths.

But for that split second of Hades shimmering by his son, finding that a sliver of his presence exploded within the child.

Nico felt certain, he would make good on his promise.

The shadows coiled back from the beach and circled around him as his father's power fuelled him on. Coaxing the power out from inside the bottom of his soul.

Hades grinned smugly to the sky, watching Zeus retreat only when it had become too late.

"Hazel." Nico whispered at first. His eyes becoming colder, harder and more fierce with each second. "HAZEL!" He screamed out in agony.

The sound of his scream would be remembered throughout his the war.

With the power of his father coursing through him in that split second and the agony inside of him, desperate to break out, he let it it flow through him and rip through the air and sky.

His form flickered like the very shadows as a large shock wave blasted across the city and smashed into the Greek's camp. Filling each of their nightmares with the full horror of Hades. Filling every one of them with the anguish in his heart at the thought that he had lost his sister to them. To the pain and thought of having to maybe lose Percy; the only person he had ever truly loved in his entire life. The pain of having his sister Bianca hate him. The loathing he had for Queen Annabeth and any other who followed her to this shore.

And most importantly.

To the one who had taken his sister away from him.

The gods on Olympus fell clutching their ears as the amplified power of Hades was coursed through every corner of the earth and sky. The pain of the child and the tormented god of the underworld became all that their minds would allow them to feel.

Artemis fell clutching her ears, falling behind black clouds of shadows and storms, plunging the world into the storm that now coiled around it. Plunging the hearts, souls and minds of mortals into the pain of the god of the underworld and his son.

Leaving the Greeks to fight away the insanity of their sleep as Zeus and his legion of puppet toys he called his godly supporters, tried to protect their soldiers.

For what felt like hours and days was but bare minutes of Nico's torturing scream. His body flickering in and out of darkness till he collapsed to the ground, slowly and gently let down by the ghostly veiled image of his father, who kept an arrogant amused grin on his face. "You host the spirit of a god well my son. Shame that our bloodline doesn't work that way." He stroked his only son's hair out of the boy's eyes and reached up slowly to his helm. Pulling a small chip of dragon bone free which was replaced instantly, he threaded a single piece of darkness through it. "Save your energy boy." He stated though his voice held no comfort or ownership of a father to it. There was no sense of familiarity for him to the boy.

But Nico was still his son. His _only _son. The only son that he had or ever would have for as long as the fates would allow. "Little King of Ghosts." He said softly in a voice though it still provided to be slightly gruff and stony. "You will fight. You will fight till the breath leaves your body. You are going to be remembered for this war for so long." He turned his eyes back to the lightning of the stormy sky as Zeus seemed to be recovering himself from the intensity and shock of that scream.

It was strange to see Hades taking this ghostly form in the shadows as he cradled his son, guarding him and holding him into reality while he coaxed life back into him after the child had almost completely depleted himself of it. "I hope you find happiness boy." He smiled softly to himself, letting his black inky locks bristle in the cold, storm charged wind. "And I will fight for you."

He slowly stood back up, after resting Nico's head gently against the ground. "Nicholas I promise you that."

Black armour sprouted across the god's chest as his tunic cloak blew violently through the air behind him. His helm of darkness shinning with full power as the shadows charged in his palms, lifting him off the ground slowly as they supported him. "That is my word on the river styx!" He bellowed as the ghostly image of the god hurtled towards the sky with the aid of his brother.

Glancing back only once to stare at the sad and hurt face of his son.

_But you will still have to fight. _

So with one last wave of his palm and for the first time in hundreds of years, the god of the underworld turned his harsh and handsome gaze back towards the sky as he became a streaking shadow of the night. His muscled and toned body was an resemblance to Thanatos in the way that the beauty of death which it could be to the eternity of the afterlife for some.

And now, for the first time in his existence. His heart ached with a growing anger and the roar of his scream as he was thrown back into a fight with his brother.

He would protect his son.

Whatever outcome there may be.

_**-Break-**_

Bianca kept her stand on the balcony, rubbing her finger against the hot brand which brandished her skin. The thing which had woken her in pain from her sleep... among the pain of the scream which now lingered like a poison inside of her mind. Dissipating slowly like a mist but still there. Eating away inside of her, the pain in her brother's heart which had exploded across Troy.

She herself had spent the night crying to sleep in her wife's arms. She had fought of all those who had tried to stay and battled against her armed guard, but her heart and rage had been out of balance. Her mind had lingered on the fury and rage of losing her younger sister. She knew she should have stayed with the others and helped clear out the piles of the charred dead. But she just hadn't been able to be anywhere close to that beach without an urge inside of her insisting that she storm the beach.

She had always found that. Ever since she was a small girl fighting amongst the others in her training. She had found that letting go of a grudge did not come easy to her at all. She had spent many years practising and becoming comfortable enough within herself to actually be able to admit that. Well, that and to be able to overcome that fact. Being able to let go of any grudge she held over people... which is what made it so hard at the moment to face her younger brother.

"Percy! Wait!"

She turned slowly and watched a figure race along the balcony with a golden haired blur not far behind it.

"Jason?" She tilted her head slightly. "Percy?" She questioned, watching as both stampede through the storm towards her.

Percy's white cloak was plastered down to his body though other than that, the boy looked strangely and oddly, completely dry.

How had he managed to stay completely dry out in this down pour?

She held out her arms just as he was about to go flying past her.

She guessed that ordinarily she wouldn't probably have been able to stop him from going past if he was at full comfortable strength.

But the truth was given to her when she saw him turn with dark exhausted and red puffy eyes. His beautiful face was pale and masked with sadness as he froze in place for a minute. Unable to do anything but stare up at the older girl as she closed her arms around him, after he buried his head against her chest and cried softly. "I better... leave you two." Jason said awkwardly, sighing softly as he looked at Percy but he seemed quite distracted anyway.

It was only after he left that Bianca slowly looked down at Percy. "I saw them." He whispered quietly. "From the height of the gates. I saw the beach. The temple. The fight... your sister Bianca." He stared up at her slowly with wide, sad emerald eyes. The tears in them seemed to fall as harshly as the raindrops. "Your sister Hazel." He kept on saying over and over, dejectedly while Bianca tried to keep herself from letting her own tears spring forward. "It's my fault. It's all my fault."

The words finally escaped into the air and Bianca sighed as she rocked him slightly in her arms. _Percy. Strong, strong Percy. _Her thoughts sighed inside her head. _The boy who survived living in Sparta for so long, almost like a slave. So this is what it takes to get a tear from the strong boy. _She thought but focused mostly on trying to comfort him. "Oh Percy." She shook her head slightly. "Oh strong young hero. Why would you-"  
"The pyres. I saw the fires. The soldiers and all the others. They're dead because of me." Percy shook his head fiercely. "Haven't you heard what they're calling me now among the town and around here? The face that launched a thousand ships." He looked at the ground slowly.  
"I never would have guessed that teasing names would get to you so much." Bianca tried to offer a smile but was just cautious as she watched a sad anger explode though those eyes.  
"They're right though." He insisted. His black spikes of hair pointed out as he lowered his gaze. "I launched those ships, they're here because of I came here with Nico-" He paused for a moment. "Maybe if I go back to them! Maybe if I beg Annabeth-"  
"You are not the reason that they are here." Bianca stated sternly, holding Percy out at arm's length as she did so. "You are just their excuse to be here Percy." She made sure to keep that strong and stern tone against him as she stared deeply into his eyes. "Annabeth may be here claiming she's here to get you back, but the only reason the rest of them are here is because Queen Piper has had her eyes set onto our home for as long as we can remember. She has been looking for an excuse to take our city as she has been looking for an excuse to take the rest of Greece. It would have always happened. Sooner or later. It was in the fates plan. The moment you go down there Piper will have you executed, if not in a jealous rage, then as a traitor or a threat to Greece."

The faint glow of fire from Apollo's destroyed temple exploded higher into the air leaving a smoking plume trail behind it.

Percy's tears almost seemed to be glowing as the rain finally seemed to make it's mark on him.

His hair plastered down, covering his eyes and he pulled his arms around himself as the cold bit into him. The explosion had left a ringing in their ears slightly, but other than that was fine. "Do not make my brother a widower on the same day we have lost our sister." Bianca whispered softly. Slowly reaching out and resting a hand against his back. "You and Nico have done what you have done. You're both in love." She nodded. "That is fine. Troy is your home now. We will keep you safe and protect you. I will not lose any more of my family to these savages." She stated.

Though in her mind her thoughts lingered on that one soldier. The one who had fought with such power and certainty. Who had made such a fatal impact from even that far away. "You are Percy of Troy now." She smiled gently, turning him back in the direction of his and Nico's bed chambers as she escorted him back to it. "And I promise you. Those walls have never been breached, and a little secret between the two of us? They're not about to get breached now." She smirked as she assured him with her confidence. "These Greeks could be here for ten years, and I promise you, they will never breach our walls. Sleep easy in your bed."

The smirk soon slipped away and was replaced with a heart felt smile.

"You still have a wedding to plan." She reminded.


	11. Decisions and struck arrows

**Hi everyone. I want to apologise profoundly of my lack of updates. I intend to rectify this, I've had to think a lot about this story, what direction I want to take it, and now I know what I want to do. Thank you so much for you reviews, your favourites and your follows. Thank you all so much.** **Warning: Story includes ****BoyxBoy, swearing, mentions of abuse, and bear in mind, ratings will be turned up at a later time. ******

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Percy trembled as he stood from the view, staring out through the lace curtains to the raging sea in the distance, watching the waves crash more violently than they had done before. The sea churned and snarled with the remnants of a storm. It rose and fell as though it was climbing a mighty cliff, before it struck the now landed ships. The wind roared against the sea spray though, constant in it's subdued control. It's orders clear, it's mind set.

Poseidon was mighty, but even he had his limits.

Percy just stared, looking out across the mighty expanse as his eyes traced every single ship in it's mighty assemble. His blue eyes were tired, filled with exhaustion, it was obvious he hadn't slept. He stood there, bare as the day he was born, watching as black and grey clouds rolled through the sky forming a perfect circle around them. The breeze was pleasant and cool as it crossed him, the sun stroking down across his lean and beautiful body.

But inside was where he felt the turmoil.

He couldn't help but place one hand slowly, smoothing it across his soft skin and sliding it onto his abdomen, while his other hand crept up to his heart. His eyes locked out across the distance of the raging ocean. His stomach felt as though it was in a mighty twist, his head was in a spin, stinging like there was a raging headache, that wasn't even there. He felt like he was being pulled out towards it, the sea itself, calling to him, pleading with him!

"Percy?"

Nico slowly blinked his eyes open, those dark shadow like orbs clearing as they adjusted to the light that only shined over the kingdom and the stretch of land which his kingdom owned. He was astounded to still see the lingering dark clouds of the storm. The dark clouds above flickered every now and then with lightning, lashing out towards the rising waves and bringing a course of thunder with it.

He ran a hand slowly through his hair, looking down at the marble ground of the floor. The air was still hot but complimented by the cooling breeze, that brushed over both boys. He had hoped it had all just been a dream last night, the horror he had been told. The sight from the distant view of the gates as the temple of Apollo had gone up in an eruption of flames.

His sister had been there...

He had heard Bianca's roar.

For a few minutes he just sat there in bed, propped up against his elbows as he stared out across the storm like Percy, before he slowly rose from the bed, his olive skin glinting and tauntingly muscled in the warm and free light of the morning. The thin sheet of the bed slowly slipped from his waist, sliding down his torso before just like his bare fiancée he slowly made his way over to the balcony.

His arms slowly wound around Percy as he gently curved the boy to his chest, his hands lacing over the sea eyed boy, their hands holding one another in comfort and love. Percy quickly let his head rest back against Nico's chest, tilted slightly so he could get a good listen to the sound of the boy's heart, it's steady and constant beat a lulling care for Percy. It was an anchor for him in that moment.

What's was this... was this really all of their fault? Because Nico couldn't have done it, he could have stayed there to watch Percy be kept like a chained pet, a slave to a woman who had been trying to force his love onto her. No. If it came down to it, he would follow his heart, time and time again. He wouldn't have left Percy to the mercy of some Queen who would just as much as keep him away from the world and then punish him for something he had no control of.

He would have started this war, again and again.

For Percy.

Nico gently pressed his lips down to the boy's neck. "Percy." He said softly, putting aside the haunting and agonising thoughts of his baby sister for one moment. "Please, look at me." Nico whispered, his lips pressing over his naked lover's skin with as much tenderness as was in his heart. He just stood there, holding the other ink haired boy, the quiet between them filled more with the comfort of their laced hands, a message that neither needed to say to the other. It was all there in the spark that moved through their bodies at being with one another; _I'm here. _

Time passed them by, neither saying anything but simply being guided by the rise of the morning over the mountains, watching the shadows creep across the great meadows and fields of sand which was between them and the force come to rip Percy back to Sparta. The shadows cast themselves long and strong. The sea was in such an upheaval of rage. The sun, turning it's back on half of their land.

_The gods. _Nico thought, staring out across the skies, the sea, the land. _The gods are at war with each other. While we ants go amongst our business in our fights, the gods themselves seem to be in their own upheaval._

His dark, calculating orbs watched, thinking, studying.

It was only when Percy voiced the prince's thoughts did Nico nod, glad that he wasn't the only one who was dwelling upon this.

"Let them take their sides. The gods amuse themselves with us as though we are pieces on a board to use as they will." The young prince considered all that had been happening, what had happened last night. That overwhelming feeling which had coursed through him with a might of adrenaline like no other. His scream, his scream which had seemed to pierce the very land it self, across the air and the shadows... what had it meant?

No. That was something to worry about for another time.

"Perseus." Nico turned his gaze down, his eyes hardening and his exhausted face becoming the centre of Percy's entire world. The smaller boy couldn't help it but stare up at Nico, like the dark, ink haired boy was some shadow, come to hold him in protection. A dark warrior come to hold him safe from the world and it's threats. "Listen to me now, and listen for all and any times in the future that any god or goddess may creep upon your mind, encase doubt may crouch in your mind." The Prince's voice was more solid and more controlled than anything Percy had heard in his months of now being with him.

Percy could still see the faint red shine still lingering from the misery which had claimed the prince. When the news had reached Nico... Percy could have sworn that he had never seen such a thing as dark, or such a cold blackness as that, which was Nico's eyes. It was like all the shadows around him had become blacker than black. Percy had only ever felt something like that before, felt when someone had erupted something from deep inside themselves... and that had been when he had watched his mother butchered and killed in front of him.

He tried not to think too much about what had happened after he had seen that.

But now staring up into Nico's eyes, he knew that the Prince spoke with more honest and a deep devotion that was as deep running as the blood, which was in his veins. "I love you." He said as soft as the breeze which brushed against their bare skin. "I lost my sister... the gods have taken her away from me last night. They have attacked us, killed those who were peaceful. They burned our temple to the ground." Nico's eyes lingered on the distance and Percy knew that the Prince was seeing what his older sister had brought home last night. A half burned dress and tunic of a priestess, ashes still sprinkling from the material.

"I will not lose you like I lost her." Nico stated factually, his eyes burning like the blackest fire in the pits of Tartarus.  
"But they have an army-"  
"I've made my decision." Nico stated as calmly and solid as a shadow.

His gaze turned out across the distance. "I'm going to challenge Annabeth to battle." He gritted his teeth pulling Percy close to his chest. "For you, for Troy and for our life together."

Nico's lips found Percy's as both boys leaned in to it.

But Percy knew, a battle with Annabeth... would not be that simple.

Far away across the coast Frank lent against the expensive and lavished wood as opposite him stood the blond male who had got him caught up into this. His smirk spread across his face as Luke looked at his friend, running a hand through his face while the nobility made their way forward. Each walking along the lavish crimson and gold trimmed carpet which lead towards the throne seat placed towards the back, amongst the treasures and pieces which would have shown just exactly the amount of wealth they were truly dealing with around here.

Frank though was still dressed in his armour. His arms folded as he watched pathetic and upright man after man walk up to Piper, getting on their hands and knees, presenting prizes, treasures, oils, rich materials, clothing, silks, jewels! Item after item!

The Queen herself was sat back, sometimes leaning forward as her pure white and gold trimmed dress shined, folds of the material connected to golden bands on her wrists and falling like a pair of wings behind her. Her bare legs were exposed with her midnight black leather sandals, but she looked as ravishingly beautiful as always. Her hair braided with silver and golden flowers, shined like fresh earth soil. Her skin, warm and kissed by the sun and earth.

When the men had finished scraping their noses on the floor, Luke grinned sharing a small smile with his friend as the blond made his way over and clapped Frank on the shoulder. "You fought well today." Luke grinned, "you had even my men rowing harder and faster, the word of 'Frank the mighty', drew their courage to the sticking place.

Luke was draped in his own armour, his plume helmet clutched under his arm. He held a few bruises, but nothing serious. Frank imagined the man who had caused those injuries would have received more in return than he had paid out. The older boy looked ready, cool and collected as always. His studious eyes having already sized up the situation and knew now that his part was done.

At least until there was more blood to be shed.

Neither said nothing but held each other's gaze. Two alpha's caught between a chain which was beginning to strain more and more as the stronger of the two was breaking free.

Frank paced back and forth slowly, keeping hold of her gaze, lacing his hands behind his back as he rose qan eyebrow at her causal and slight smirked face.

"Do yourself a favour my old friend." He patted Frank's shoulder, shaking his head with an amused smile as he paused in his passing. "Ignore the politics."  
"War is old men talking and young men dying." The dark haired boy shrugged, adjusting his leather armour slightly and placing his now clean and sharp sword back to it's sheath. It's handle humming contently beneath his touch.

Both paused though as above them thunder roared and the sound of the waves outside slammed like an army of hammers against the wood of the ships.

Frank narrowed his eyes slightly but Luke had already followed his path of thought. "My comment stands, my dear friend." He said a little more softly, turning his gaze away from the roar of the sound outside as he made his way free.

Leaving just Frank and Piper who was sitting up a little more regally in her throne. Her eyes hardening, her fingers lacing as she looked over the one soldier she knew that she kept on a frayed leash. "So." He stated calmly and slowly, his eyes intent and sword like as they always were, but his body language looking chilled, without a care, not interested in the girl who most men feared and bowed down to.

A crown did not mean he should bow.

He bowed to no man and no god.

"Apparently you won some victory." He stated.  
"Ah, perhaps you didn't notice." Piper shrugged, glancing away as she lent to the side of her throne, her face bored, though it could not hide the slight indication of how tedious she found Frank's company. "The Trojan beach belonged to the Queen this morning. Now it belongs to me, barely in the afternoon." She stated, the last of her words becoming a little sharper, more tired as though she was trying to explain a simple fact to an ignorant child.  
"Keep the beach, I didn't come here for sand." Frank muttered, turning his gaze away and mirroring how the Queen felt. He never enjoyed her company, she was someone who was all to clear to him.  
"No. You came here for glory. You want the power of your name is a legend." She stated.

Frank's dark eyes moved over to her carefully, taking in her words for a long moment as she cleared herself of all else. Her tone becoming dryer, her eyes becoming sharper. Her body language more lounged. '"We had a great victory today." She slowly leaned forward, lacing her fingers as her eyes narrowed, becoming colder, more pointed, like she was trying to point her gaze into his very soul. "But that victory is not yours."

Most who were still around in the room, watched as Frank came to a slow standstill.

"A queen does not kneel to you." She stated coldly, with the force she used which had most of those under her command, crushing down into the chain of realizing where they stood. "A Queen does not pay gifts and words of worship to you." She stated even more harshly.  
"Maybe the Queen shouldn't have been so far back on the sea." Frank stated still smoothly and calm. "Maybe the Queen was too far back to see, that it was the soldiers who won the battle."  
"History always remembers Queens. Not Soldiers!" Piper stated harshly. Her beautiful voice dominating the air as it rushed along like a typhoon breeze, but maintained all form of elegance as she rose from her throne, her dress draping behind her like a curtain of clouds and silk. "By this time tomorrow, I will have crushed the walls of Troy beneath my feet! I will have the armies down on their knees, crying worship to the Queen. I will have my name carved in stone of the palace and the remains I leave of the walls. For eternity, my name will be remembered!" Her eyes moved over him carefully as she looked down, but maintained a space between them. She was smart enough not to get that close to the man who wielded a blade like a man holds a breath. "My name will be carved in stone, while yours will be slashed into the sand, simply to be washed away." She stated more calmly, her tone adding more venom to the soft spoken words.  
"Don't forget yourself Queen." Frank said, as soft as always, his eyes slightly sharpened though now. "First you have to have a victory."

Silence passed between them as slowly Piper, moved her curtain of hair and it's assortment of gold and silver over her shoulder, her eyes burning like Apollo's sun into Frank as she looked deeply into his dark orbs. "Your men sacked the temple of Apollo yes? You desecrated the grounds?"  
"You crave gold. Take it." Frank shrugged, knowing he was getting further under her skin by acting so smooth and calm. His arms at his side as he stood above her, looking down into her eyes. "A gift... For your courage." He said gently. "Take what you like."  
"Oh. I have." Piper whispered softly, a glint now shinning brightly in her eyes.

Franks jaw set tight as he watched the sparkle shine in the Queen's multicoloured eyes. He watched the dark smirk which she didn't show, slide along her face as she swept away from him slowly, calling out as softly as she could. "Connor. Travis!"

Frank turned just in time to hear the grunts and snarls as two of Piper's soldiers stomped into the room, dragging two fighting figures with them.

He barely had time to widen his eyes as he watched the black haired and coco skin girl with golden eyes, fight against one of the twin soldier's grip. Throwing herself about, but with blood gushing from her nose and various other cuts and slices across her body, he guessed that the bastard must have beaten her, to subdue her and make her easier to handle. But like a wild spirit she still thrashed about violently, trying to tear herself away from his grip. She was dressed in some rags that Frank himself had ripped out of the fire of the burning temple. The shinning of the material was dulled by the ash and grime left from the fire, but at least she wasn't bare for these animals to take.

"Leo! Leo! Come on, Leo! You're okay!" She snapped.

The other boy looked more worse for wear though, boiling Franks blood as his fists began to curl tightly.

The smaller boy with the pointed ears and soft caramel skin had blood across his bare body, barely covered even by a loincloth now. His torso was covered in slices, some deep, some light. Foul bruises line his delicate and youthfully beautiful face, his own hair matted with his blood. His legs were given out, but even in his state, he was still trying to rip his arm free, as pathetically weak a attempt as it was.

What the Hades had she done to them!? He had taken them both for himself! Under his direct protection! For him to have! Not for this-

"The spoils of war." Piper smirked, her eyes glistening as she looked over Frank victoriously. Her hand travelling along the boy's slick blood soaked torso. The girl frantically still called his name but the Queen turned only sharply, slapping her hand across her face to silence her.

Franks eyes bore into the two twin soldiers, making them flinch back slightly as they finally seemed to realize just exactly who it was that stood in front of them. His teeth were grated together and his eyes sharper than his word in warning. His voice though still maintained it's calm tone, even if in that moment only rage was swarming him. "I have no quarrel with either of you, but if you don't release them. You'll never see home again." He stated, shocking even Piper at his bluntness. "Decide!"  
"SOLDIERS!" Piper snarled.

The scream of Frank's blade against it's sheath roared out louder than the footsteps as within seconds there was a room full of soldiers. His battle stance was as instinctual as breathing was. His eyes counting, planning, readying himself already to slaughter them.

"ENOUGH!" The golden eyed girl roared, bringing both Frank and Piper back in shock as she writhed in her hold, trying to get closer to the other boy who had been brought with her. "Enough people have died today! If killing is all you can do, then let that be your curse, but not mine!" She shouted, her voice growing stronger, taking shape within his mind, like a trap, it's sound pulling his senses back towards those startling eyes.

She was exhausted, she was beaten. She was so close to crying, all but about to break her own arms in an attempt to try and get to the bleeding smaller boy.

"People will not be dying because of us!" She shouted. Her eyes boring into him like the point of a sword, even if he was still in his battle stance, turning his gaze only slightly towards her to glance out the corner of his eye into her golden orbs.

He wasn't sure exactly just how much time passed as he gazed at her and the other boy. His grip around his sword tightening as he knew that he could do it. He could crush these soldiers, he could kill them and have them on charon's boat before they even realised where they were themselves. He could destroy them and take these two without a care or hesitation...

So why was he frozen in his stance right now.

_'People will not be dying because of us!' _

"P-Please!" The boy managed weakly. Raising his head just enough so that Frank could look into his dark eyes. The way he stared at him was like a broken boy, pleading for his last wish on this earth.

Both their words and pleas echoed through him like a virus as he stared at the girl.

Then with a sharp snarl of his blade twisting through the air, he flipped the handle and sheathed the blade, but made no attempt to hide the sharpness and growing rage in his eyes.

Piper however just broke out into a laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "The mightiest warrior... silenced by a slave girl and her broken little boy." The Queen broke out into a disbelief of laughter.

Frank had to stop himself from snarling at her as he paced a few steps, glowering around him at the other soldiers who shuffled with fear. Only Piper remaining calm as she took light steps over to the golden eyed girl and the boy.

Frank turned, not trusting himself much longer not to be there without feeding his blade the crimson rubies of the soldier's throats.

Piper smirked, curling her hand around Hazel's chin tightly and twisting it towards her. The girl was beautiful, as was in a way her little boy toy, though he looked as though he wouldn't serve for much fun. Either way, the girl could have some use, even if she wasn't anything compared to Piper's beautiful, beautiful Annabeth. "I think later, I'll have her give me a bath." She purred, earning Frank's pause and glower at her. His eyes sparking with something dark and cold for a long minute.

She was baiting him. She was trying to get him to snap. She wanted to show that she was the alpha here.

"And then." She smirked deeply. "Who knows what will happen." She leaned closer, keeping a small gap between her face and Hazels. Running his finger into her hair.  
"You fucking bitch." Frank snarled, unable to stop himself as his voice was colder and darker than any threat the soldiers could have received. His heart roared away in his chest, snarling like a wild beast as he looked at Hazel and Leo, still both of them strangers to him, but something about them, drawing him to them.

He had barely felt Eros' arrow strike him from the heart of a nearby torch, while the fire had flickered with the image of the son of a goddess.

But now staring down the Queen, his hand curled around the metal of his blade, the forged handle pointed to her throat as he closed his hand tighter around the slicing brightness which shined like a star. The pain of slicing himself was the only focus which kept him from losing control and wild thought to ripping Piper apart. "Before my time is done." He seethed, pacing around her now as the arrow caused his blood to flood with a fire that nothing could quench. His anger was all mighty, his rage unbound in that moment. "I will look down upon your corpse and smile."

Piper backed up slowly, turning with him so that he never had the chance to see her back. Her eyes were no longer dancing with the thought that she was in control, but only now the realization of the beast which resided within the warrior and a fear did fill her blood.

A moment passed when the young warrior flipped the handle back to his blood palm, the sharp point of the metal raised above her throat. No soldier moved for fear they would be next or that they would become the centre of his wrath. But only for a minute did he stand there, seething at her with the blade raise, his eyes burning with the love inside Eros' struck arrow.

But feeling his control slipping with his seething breath, Frank turned and left a trail of fer in his footsteps as he moved his way out of the heart of the ship.

Leaving Piper to stare after him before turning back toward Hazel and her golden eyes. Smirking coldly as she curled her hand back under the girl's chin and raised her gaze to her own. "This is going to be fun." She whispered, before bursting out into a cold laughter.


End file.
